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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23996476">Rupture</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/psuedopoetic/pseuds/psuedopoetic'>psuedopoetic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Young Justice (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide attempt, M/M, Multi, OT3, Slow Burn, Time Travel, crossposted from Wattpad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:26:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>101,481</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23996476</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/psuedopoetic/pseuds/psuedopoetic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Emori Todd goes to the past to stop the reach invasion with her best friend Bart, and has to manage not imploding everyone's lives by revealing who she is.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bart Allen/Jaime Reyes, Bart Allen/Original Female Character(s), Bart Allen/Original Female Character(s)/Jaime Reyes, Jaime Reyes/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>139</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Time-Travelling Duo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI DIDN'T THINK THIS THROUGH. </b>She knew this was the right choice, that this would save her father and billions of others, but in this moment, all of that was gone along with her ability to hold back her screams. Her throat felt raw as she clung to Bart, who in turn held her arms firmly, and she knew this wasn't effecting him, but for a moment she could pretend she wasn't the only one being ripped apart.</p><p>Then it stopped, no more bright, blinding lights, no more ear-splitting noises, no more forces stronger than entire universes. The one thing keeping her together was her Meta-Gene, and she was thankful that she hadn't been split apart atom by atom in the travel.</p><p>Bart looked at her, and that one look said everything. <em>We have to do this, we can do this, we'll do it together, remember our promise, remember the rules</em>.</p><p>She hoped she didn't look as scared as she felt, because the door was being pushed open by him, and she forced it all to slip away into nothing but a false face of happiness, one they had rehearsed for hours.</p><p>Bart jumped out and splayed his arms in a proud manner. "Ta-da!"</p><p>Emori stepped out, prepared to say some overly-cheery statement, but it all slipped away once she saw the people in front of her. <em>Dick</em>. She quickly pushed the feelings down, doing her best to ignore the fact that he was right there.</p><p>"Computer," Dick said, "lock down the cave."</p><p>He was so <em>young</em>. How was he ever this young? It didn't seem right.</p><p>"Well," Garfield--no, Beast Boy, that's what he was called--said, "I think we found our unknown energy impulse."</p><p>"Impulse?" Bart said enthusiastically. "That's so crash! Catchy, dramatic, one word." He sped over to the three heroes. "Like Nightwing, and Robin, and Beast Boy." He frowned thoughtfully. "Except that's two words. Blue Beetle's two words." He ran to the doorway. "Hey, is he here too?"</p><p>Dick--<em>Nightwing</em>--'s eyes were still trained on her, flickering between her and Bart. He couldn't figure out what to do, whether to attack Bart or her, and she could tell he was weighing the options. Always smart, but to a fault. </p><p>"Nevermind," Bart said. "Impulse can find that out for himself."</p><p>With one quick glance in Emori's direction, he disappeared down the hallway, and her eyes widened as they all three turned to her.</p><p>"You two, follow him. I have her."</p><p>Emori bit her tongue, keeping her face neutral but surprised as her stomach formed knots around her heart.</p><p>Robin and Beast Boy ran after Bart as Dick stalked forward, escrima sticks in each hand, poised to attack.</p><p>"Where are you from?" He asked, eyes narrowed. "How did you get here?"</p><p>"Well, that's a long story," Emori said, forcing her voice to be cheery like Bart's. "A really long one, and there's not enough time for that. I think we should wait for B--Impulse to get back."</p><p>"Tell me who you are, and I won't hurt you."</p><p>Always trying to avoid conflict, especially with children. Idiot.</p><p>"C'mon, can't we wait for Impulse? He's just looking around, he'll be back soon."</p><p>Nightwing lunged forward, and with wide eyes, Emori disappeared into thin air, invisible to the naked eye, and he fell right through her. Surprised, he looked around, muscles coiled tightly.</p><p>"Please, this won't end well!"</p><p>He tensed, beginning to back up towards a wall as he tried to find the source of her voice.</p><p>"Are you Martian?"</p><p>"No, I'm not a Martian," she said. "Do I look Martian? Actually, nevermind, Martians never looked like they were supposed to."</p><p>She said never. Oh <em>shit</em>.</p><p>Before she could say another word, Bart sped through the room, and within a split second, Dick had turned and Bart ran straight into his chest with a groan of pain. He fell to the ground and Emori watched as he handcuffed Bart's hands and feet roughly before he hauled him up to his knees.</p><p>"Where's your friend?"</p><p>"Oh, right, I should've warned you about that, she does that when she's scared." She wasn't scared. Was she? "Come on out, Emori!"</p><p>Hesitantly, Emori appeared, and Nightwing did his best to hide his surprise as she materialized less than two feet from him.</p><p>"Isn't it so crash?"</p><p>Dick blinked at Bart's second use of the word. "Yeah . . . crash." He looked at her, and with one look to Bart, she held out her wrists and Dick walked forward with a second set. "Careful, these things hurt."</p><p>Emori forced down a rotten slew of memories as she sat down on a bench next to Bart, trying to smooth down the awful feeling within her that the handcuffs brought. She didn't like to be restrained, last time that happened--restraints always brought bad things, and they were here to stop those things.</p><p>Dick left, and that left her and Bart with Robin and Beast Boy, who in her entire life, she had never met. She wasn't sure if that made it easier, or harder.</p><p>"So, who are you?" Robin asked.</p><p>"We're tourists," Emori answered as the other two heroes walked forward. "From the future."</p><p>"From the future?"</p><p>"Yeah, did I say future wrong?"</p><p>"You're tourists," Robin said, as if it was unbelievable. "From the future?"</p><p>"Why so surprised?" Bart chimed in. "Half the meat at Comic-Con are from my era." They didn't look convinced. "Look, look, look guys, we should all be friends. I'm really one of you. Part of the heroic legacy, right?" Not convinced, again. "My name's Bart Allen. You know, grandson of Barry Allen, The Flash?"</p><p>"Noted," Beast Boy said. "Not believed, but noted."</p><p>"What's not to believe?" Bart asked. "I've clearly got Flash's speed, his amazing good looks. Frankly, I can't wait to meet him." Quickly, he caught himself. "Uh, you know, back when he was in his prime."</p><p>"And your friend?" Robin asked as Dick walked in, a glass of water in hand. "Who's she?"</p><p>"I can speak," she said. "And my name is Emori."</p><p>"Emori . . .?" he pushed. "How do you have powers?"</p><p>"I don't have a last name," she answered. "My parents died before I could get one." She shrugged, and they didn't seem to believe it, but they wouldn't believe anything, for that matter. "But my powers come from a chemical leak, a lab near my home exploded and boom! Invisible girl."</p><p>"That's your alter-ego?" Dick asked.</p><p>"That? No, that's not it." Upon their looks, she realized she'd trapped herself, and decided there wouldn't be any harm in it. "It's Hood, like, y'know, hood of a jacket? Or Red Riding Hood?"</p><p>"Noted."</p><p>Dick held up a glass of water. "After traveling all the way from the future, I'm sure you two must have worked up quite a thirst."</p><p>"Thanks," Bart said as he took a sip before he pulled away. "Oh, ah, you're trying to get a DNA sample. You need my spit." He spit into the glass, and Emori cringed slightly. "Ha. That's such a Dick Grayson thing to do."</p><p>She gently knocked her foot into his, thankful he dropped that secret so they would forget about her drinking out of the cup.</p><p>Robin's eyes widened. "How did . . .?"</p><p>"See?" Bart said. "I know stuff only a future boy would know. So does she."</p><p>"Dick Grayson," she said, nodding towards him. "Garfield Logan, Tim Drake."</p><p>"Your name's Tim?" Beast Boy said. "And yours is . . . Dick?"</p><p>"Oops! Spoilers." Bart folded in on himself. "This secret identity thing is so retro. I mean, you can call me Impulse, or Bart or Bart Allen or Bart 'Impulse' Allen, it's all crash."</p><p>It was scary how easily they fit into these personas, the two happy go-lucky time-traveler tourists from a world that wasn't taken over by psychopath aliens.</p><p>"Is it possible they might actually be telling the truth?" Robin asked. "Could they really be from the future?"</p><p>Beast Boy stepped forward and pointed a finger at them--he was so young, so unlike the stories she'd heard about him. "Tell us something we don't know, <em>yet</em>. When do I become leader of the Team? When do I join the Justice League? When do I get my own reality series?"</p><p>"Sorry, BB," Bart apologized, "never was the best history student. Besides, we can't risk altering the time stream. We do that, we're all feeling the mode."</p><p>"And the mode would be bad?"</p><p>"The worst," Emori said with a nod, "always better to crash the mode."</p><p>"Uh . . . noted?"</p><p>
  <em>Recognized, Malcolm Duncan, A 10.</em>
</p><p>The Cave system, it sounded so strange.</p><p>"Ooh," Bart mused, "sounds like a door opening somewhere. And that's our cue."</p><p>At the same time, Bart vibrated out of his cuffs, while Emori disappeared for a brief moment to slink out of her cuffs. "Bye!"</p><p>Bart sped away, and Emori vanished into thin air and ran out through the open door, passing a man on a motorcycle in the process.</p><p>With Bart on his way to Central City to stop Neutron, and hopefully prevent Barry Allen's death and the butterfly effect that led to the future, and Emori was left to her own devices.</p><p>Maybe, she could visit the one place she always wanted to.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>THE WAYNE MANOR</b></em> lived up to its expectations. Her father had always said it was lavish, better than anything she could imagine, and he was right. The floors were spotless, the pictures that hung on the walls were perfect, and a soft, melodious music floated through the air from the kitchen. It seemed . . . homey.</p><p>Emori didn't know how work hours were now, but she hoped Bruce was away. Her father told her many stories about him, and he was someone she did <em>not</em> want to mess with. If he could beat up her father, he was dangerous. Alfred was, too, but he didn't break someone's jaw with one punch. When he pulled out a gun, she would start running.</p><p>It wasn't as if anyone could see her. She was invisible, someone could walk right through her and not even know. She was safe, and for one moment, she just wanted to be close with her father in the place he spent some of his teen years, where he felt like he had a <em>home</em>. It hurt to think that mere years ago, her father had walked these halls, full of life and laughter, and now he was dead. In both past and future, her father was dead, and the only way she could fix it was to stop the Reach and Blue Beetle.</p><p>She wouldn't stay for long, just long enough to feel okay about her decision to be stuck here. She was scared, because she knew there was no way to make it back, to see if it worked, or to see the people they saved. But that was okay. Because even if they had no idea what she and Bart did for them, at least they were alive. She'd give anything for her father to have another day, and seeing his home would nail the lid in her coffin.</p><p>Against better judgement, she poked her head into the kitchen to see who she assumed was Alfred making a meal. He was different than she expected. Much taller and skinnier, less hair, and more gentle than she expected him to look. It looked like be belonged in this large manor, like it was his home more than anyone else's.</p><p>Soundlessly, she walked up the stairs, the feeling in her chest swelling as she reached the sixth room. "Six doors down from the landing, by the ugly blue vase that looked lopsided," he'd told her. And there it was, just like he said.</p><p>Her breath hitched as she opened the door, unable to release as she stepped in. It was his, she could tell, someone she just <em>knew</em>. It was clean, not messy like he would have kept it if he hadn't be gone for years, but she knew. The decorations on the wall, the items on the desk--they felt like him. It made her chest ache so painfully it hurt. She wanted to cry, to sob until her throat ripped and the heavens parted and they gave her back her father--but she couldn't, because then someone would hear her, and it would all be over and he'd be lost forever.</p><p>If anyone asked, she hadn't taken a thing. But if anyone looked, they'd see that the chain necklace in the desk drawer was gone, and so was a blue baseball cap. No one would, because why would a dead boy's things be missing?</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Marshmallows Rock</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI KNEW THAT THIS WAS FAR FROM OVER, BUT THAT DIDN'T MATTER.</b> Bart had done it, he'd managed to defeat Neutron, and they were halfway there. The other half was terrifying, and the thought of seeing Blue Beetle again made her blood run cold and somehow boil with anger, but they could do this. They would do it together, like they did everything. One foot in front of the other, that's what her father always told her. If you could can just move that one foot, you can make it.</p><p>She wasn't sure how much that applied to this situation, though. </p><p>"Impulse's DNA matches up with both you and Iris, Barry," Dick said as he touched a holographic screen. "And this thing is giving off both Zeta and Chronotron radiation."</p><p>"Which is," Wally chipped in, "based on pure theory, what you'd expect to find radiating off of a time machine."</p><p>Barry placed his hand on Bart's shoulder, and Emori watched from behind. "Which means you're exactly who you say you are."</p><p>"Ha!" Bart laughed. "Told you. Anyway, it's been crash, but the future awaits, we gotta run." He laughed, and Emori wasn't sure she liked this new Bart as she followed behind him. "Ha, see what I did there? With the 'run?' That was for you, gramps."</p><p>"Bart," Barry said, "thanks for coming. I look forward to . . . meeting you again for the first time and watching you grow up."</p><p>"That will be crash."</p><p>Bart hugged him, and Barry hugged him back after a moment of hesitation. Emori bit her lip, because she was happy for Bart, he'd finally gotten to meet his infamous grandfather he'd heard about, but it left her feeling more alone than ever. There wasn't a family for her to meet, they were dead and in prison. The only family she had thought her father was dead.</p><p>"Kid," Barry said as he looked to Emori, "I don't know who you are, but take care of my grandson for me, okay? It seems like you two can handle each other."</p><p>She forced a smile onto her face. "I will, you can count on it."</p><p>With one last look, and a 'so long!' from Bart, they climbed into the time machine and shut the door. They looked at each other, and Emori grabbed his hand and squeezed it, like she did all those times they nearly got caught. They both knew there was no going back, that they would be stuck in this time forever, but they were okay with that, because they were going to save everyone. If they did this together, it would be okay.</p><p>He gave her a thumbs up and kicked the door open, and the masks were back up, those few moments lost in the wind.</p><p>"It's not working!" he exclaimed. "The whole thing's fried!"</p><p>Emori climbed out after him, faking an expression she hadn't done in a long time.</p><p>"Can you fix it?" Barry asked.</p><p>"I'm a tourist, not a chronal expert." Bart groaned. "Look at me, I'm trapped in the stupid past. Ugh, so moded."</p><p>"Now I'm never going to get home in time for dinner," Emori huffed. "So much for a little trip to the past."</p><p>Dick looked at her, and for a brief moment, she wanted to tell him everything. Tell him how for a brief period of time, he had been there after her father died before he, too, was taken. That he'd taught her how to be precise instead of reckless, how to walk across a collapsing beam during an explosion and not fall. But this wasn't her Dick, not the one with a burn across his nose and a tired look on his face no matter the time.</p><p>"So," Beast Boy said, "what do we do now?"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>APPARENTLY, THAT 'DO'</em></b> was sending her and Bart to the Garricks in Central City. Since they didn't know who she was, nor where she came from, the next best thing was to send her with Bart. It wasn't like there was much of a decision, because when they'd suggested she stay at the Cave, both her and Bart had quickly protested, and said that they stuck together. They didn't care if it seemed a bit suspicious, they weren't being split up. Too much could happen between those times.</p><p>That left the two of them with the Garricks, Bart's sort-of great-grandparents, who died long before either of them were born. It was weird, because neither had heard stories of them. They were meeting entirely new people, ones that they'd only heard mentioned in passing.</p><p>Despite that they were two strange children from the future, the Garricks were accommodating, trusting that they wouldn't do anything wrong. It seemed stupid to her, that they would let them in and give them free reign, but Bart said it was just how things worked now. Still, it was weird.</p><p>"Well, you two, can I get you a cup of hot cocoa?"</p><p>After being there for two days, Joan had taken a liking to having children in her home again. As much as it felt wrong and fake, Emori liked having her there. She hadn't ever had a mother, and while her father always did the best he could, it wasn't the same. In the future, there was no freshly-cooked meals out of a cookbook, or cookies every night just because people wanted to do it. </p><p>"I could go for cocoa," Bart said, "what about you?"</p><p>"I--sure, is it good?"</p><p>Joan's eyes widened. "You've never had cocoa? Is it outdated in the future?"</p><p>"Oh, yeah, no one even drinks stuff like this anymore. It's all protein, y'know?"</p><p>As Joan walked away, mumbling about 'protein shakes,' Bart looked at her and offered a small smile. These were the moments she liked. Where it wasn't this Fake Bart, the one they had to be to make sure this worked, but the one she'd known for years, the one that had survived with her despite their too-many close encounters before they got captured. Bart had never been this cheery, hell, Emori had never even heard him use that tone. It didn't seem natural.</p><p>"Do you like marshmallows in your cocoa?" Joan asked. "Do marshmallows even exist in the future?"</p><p>"They're a lot smaller," Bart piped in, "and chewier."</p><p>Neither of them had ever even had a marshmallow, they were all expired and molded. Once, she'd found a bag, and tried to crack it open. Her father told her about them, once, offhandedly, and ever since she'd dreamed about them--literally, once she dreamed about marshmallows and what they used to taste like. Bart didn't seem as enthusiastic as her, but Emori was vibrating with excitement at the thought of them.</p><p>"Well, these should taste wonderful, I'll give you each a few." She sat down two cups of hot cocoa, each armed with three marshmallows that nearly overflowed the hot liquid. "So, are you two heroes?"</p><p>Emori's eyes widened as she bit into the marshmallow for two reasons. One: best thing she had ever eaten in her life. Two: she thinks they're heroes, because of course she does. "No," she answered. "Not really, at least. We're getting there, though, our parents are too strict to let us do it yet."</p><p>"I think that might change here. Jay was a young hero, you know. Best one I ever saw."</p><p>She'd read about him, before, in an old history book she found that still had some pages. He seemed like an older, more retro version of Barry Allen's Flash.</p><p>"Were you parents heroes?" Joan asked.</p><p>Emori swallowed the marshmallow roughly. "Um, not quite. My father was more of an, uh, anti-hero? He didn't take the hero route in how he worked, but he wanted a better world. Just with . . . harsher methods."</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, darling. I lost my father, too, I know it's hard, especially at such a young age."</p><p><em>Fuck</em>, she'd used past tense. Great, now she had to rely on a made-up mother she'd never known.</p><p>"It's fine, I live with my mother, anyway. She's a hero, though."</p><p>Her father said she was, back before the Reach and Blue Beetle. What was her name? Emori couldn't remember anymore. Maybe she'd meet her at some point in the next few months and she'd remember it then.</p><p>"Seems like you have your work cut out for you then."</p><p>Emori took a sip of the hot cocoa and swallowed despite the boiling liquid burning her mouth. "Yeah, I do. So does Bart, though, he had the entire Flash legacy."</p><p>Bart blinked. "I mean, I think I'm doing a pretty good job so far, right? Can't say the same for you, though."</p><p>She scoffed and elbowed him in the side, and Bart laughed as he let out a groan of pain. For a moment, it felt like before they came to the past, when they would hide out, just the two of them, and try to forget the worries of the world.</p><p>But then Barry walked into the room, and it was gone.</p><p>"Hey, gramps," Bart chirped, that facade up again. "Didn't expect you to stop by."</p><p>"Wasn't expecting to, either." He shifted awkwardly. "I came here to talk to Emori, actually."</p><p>Her eyes widened. "Have I done something?"</p><p>Really it was <em>have you found out who I am, why we're here?</em></p><p>"No, no, you're fine, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute. And I was nearby, so I just stopped by."</p><p>She stood from her seat, her hands burning from the hot ceramic mug in her hands. Wordlessly, she followed behind him, until they reached the living room, far enough away that they couldn't hear from the kitchen.</p><p>"What's wrong?" she asked. "Do you need help? Bart's more help than I am, he's a speedster."</p><p>"Don't tear yourself down, kid, you're pretty amazing too," he said. "But that's not why I'm here, right now at least. I came to ask you about your parents."</p><p>Emori shrugged. "What do you want to know? I already told Joan, sorry."</p><p>Barry shook his head. "Really, it's fine, I just wanted to ask. Because Bart's staying here, with Jay and Joan, but wouldn't you want to stay with your family? Maybe some you haven't met before? I'd give anything to meet some people before my time."</p><p>Boy, did she want to say yes.</p><p>"It's fine," Emori said with a smile. "Don't worry about it. I don't want to leave Bart, anyway, we're kind of a package deal."</p><p>He was unreadable for a moment before he sighed. "Okay, you can stay here for now. Just let us know if you ever want to see your family, okay?"</p><p>"Yeah, of course. Thank you, Barry."</p><p>"Don't mention it."</p><p>This was going to be a<em> lot</em> harder than she thought.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. It's Trojan Horse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI HAD NEVER HAD A FUNERAL.</b> For other people, of course, but she'd never seen one before. She'd seen people set a piece of rock down as a 'headstone,' even though there wasn't anything beneath it. It didn't quite make sense to her, but she supposed that was because Dick and R.A. weren't the funeral types, either. Dick didn't see the point anymore, since there was no body to bury, and R.A. didn't believe in funerals.</p><p>Emori believed what R.A. did. She wasn't Navajo like he was, but she believed what he did about funerals. That going to their gravesite (or what<em> would</em> have been their gravesite) would disturb them, as would taking their belongings. That was the one thing Bart hadn't pushed her on. It was an unsaid rule that when someone died, unless their family put up a huge fight, their belongings were free reign. Emori had never pitched in with that rule, and even though it resulted in cold winters, she still refused to.</p><p>She wondered how R.A. was doing. Had the real Roy woken up yet? Emori had met him, once, when she was only eight, three days before he died. He was a bit harsh, but he was nice enough that he gave her a granola bar solely because he could.</p><p>Maybe this was alright. She wasn't too spiritual, but she supposed a holographic statue was appropriate. A way to keep her alive, maybe? Mourning confused her, it didn't make any sense. She decided it sucked.</p><p>Once again, the sound of Bart's chewing interrupted her thoughts. She couldn't blame him, the two of them hadn't seen this much food in their entire life, and for Bart, that was quite literally a life-saver. Still, Emori knew it wasn't right to eat so loudly--at least not with people from the past, they were weird.</p><p>Bart finished his chips and cringed. "Uh, sorry. Mourning makes me hungry."</p><p>"Could have saved them for later," Emori muttered, making Jaime flinch in surprise. She'd forgotten that she was invisible. It was something she always did whenever she got uncomfortable.</p><p>Jaime grabbed Bart by his shirt collar and not-so-gently dragged him over to another statue--one of some girl with choppy brown hair--out of earshot from the others.</p><p>"You stole those freeze-dried Chicken Whizees from my locker, didn't you?" Jaime said, pointed a finger accusingly at him.</p><p>Emori watched from beside Bart, forcing herself to remember that here, taking food was different. It was both worse and better. You didn't get stabbed, but it wasn't a way of survival. It just made you a dickhead.</p><p>"Hey, hey, hey," Bart quickly objected, "where I come from, it's not stealing, it's scavenger rights."</p><p>"Be glad he only took your Chicken Whizees," Emori pointed out, "I would've taken a lot more."</p><p>"Jesus!" Jaime looked around, his eyes narrowed. "Where even are you? And why are you invisible, this isn't a mission."</p><p>Emori appeared with a huff. "I get nervous, okay? Mourning isn't really my thing."</p><p>"The point<em> is</em>," Bart said, "in my era we don't have Chicken Whizees. Freeze-dried or otherwise. So blame Kid Flash, he got me hooked."</p><p>Jaime sighed tiredly as he turned to run a hand down his face. "Forget I asked."</p><p>Bart shrugged and gestured to the room with wide arms, the empty Chicken Whizees bag still clutched in one hand. "So, why is this all here? I mean, it's pretty and everything, but these people are heroes. In the line of duty and all that." Bart started to make gestures with his hands. "They should have giant statues and big crash memorials in the Hall of--uh, Justice or something."</p><p>Jaime seemed to deflate at that. "Yeah, I asked that too." </p><p>Emori really, really didn't want to be here right now. The funeral business made her uncomfortable, but being this close to Blue Beetle was worse. She knew that this wasn't Blue Beetle yet, rationally, she knew that, but <em>still</em>, her skin crawled being this close to him. Somewhere inside of her, the memory of her screaming as Blue Beetle murdered her father kept replaying the longer she spent near him. She couldn't decide if she wanted to cry or stab him. </p><p>As Jaime began to talk, Emori disappeared beside Bart once again. "Captain Atom said the League doesn't want or need a public shrine to its fallen." Jaime shrugged. "But I don't know. Seems to me they just don't wanna advertise we're not immortal." Well, <em>duh.</em> "The handful or regular people who've seen me in action, they think I'm this guy in a new costume. The world will never know about Ted Kord's sacrifice."</p><p>Up until now, Emori had no earthly clue there was ever a first Blue Beetle--he obviously wasn't like their version if he was allowed to walk freely.</p><p>Bart walked forward and gently poked a finger to Jaime's chest in that new Fake-Bart manner. "But you know, and you're carrying on the grand Blue Beetle heroic tradition, right?"</p><p>"I wish," Jaime said with a huff. "It's such a total rip. Superboy has Superman. Wondergirl has Wonder Woman. Robin has Batman, Nightwing, <em>and </em>Batgirl." Emori's heart lept into her throat as Jaime's voice started to raise. "You've been in this era, what, five minutes? And already you have three Flash mentors. One who feeds you junk food."</p><p>When Bart shyly put the bag behind his back, Emori's heart started to beat slowly as Jaime relaxed. "But me? I never even got the chance to meet the guy who should have been my mentor."</p><p>Bart side-eyed him while Jaime was looking and laughed slightly, one that must have sounded humorous to anyone else, but to Emori sounded nervous. "I hear that." He walked over and pointed a finger between him and Jaime. "You know, we have more in common than you might think." With a small smile, he held up the empty bag. "Our love of Chicken Whizees, for example. Let me buy you some to replace the bag I salvaged."</p><p>As they started to walk towards the stairs out of The Grotto, Emori hurried soundlessly behind them. "We'll hang," Bart insisted, his arm around Jaime's shoulders, "it'll be totally crash."</p><p>"Uh, sure," Jaime said, clearly unsure of the situation. "What about your girlfriend? Is she coming?"</p><p>Emori's eyes went comically wide just as Bart's did. "I'm not his girlfriend!" she gasped, right as he let out his own objection.</p><p>Jaime held his hands up in surrender. "Jeez, for some 'not girlfriend' you sure are a bit defensive." He looked behind himself, unable to see Emori, who stood only three steps down from him. "Uh, where'd she go?"</p><p>"Right here," she answered, nearly making Jaime trip on a step as she appeared briefly. </p><p>"Don't worry," Bart said with a smile, "you'll get used to it. It's actually kinda comforting." He frowned slightly. "And a bit creepy when you think about it . . . hey, Emori, do you ever go invis-o and spy on people?"</p><p>Well, he didn't exactly need to know the answer to that. "Really? I'm not a peeping tom, that'd be weird."</p><p>"Hey--by the way, Jaime, do you have any money?"</p><p>Emori <em>still </em>wasn't used to the use of currency. The past was weird.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>IT TURNED OUT </em></b>that the 'hang' came two days later, abruptly, when Bart shook her awake from her second nap of the day with the news that they were leaving to meet Jaime. She'd objected, tried to put her foot down that, no, she was not going to be "hanging out" with Blue Beetle.</p><p>Yet here she was, on his doorstep. It had taken a lot of whisper-yelling from Bart to convince her. This Jaime--the Blue Beetle at this moment--was not evil, and probably didn't even know about the Reach or anything like that. This Blue Beetle was innocent, and didn't even know about her father. Still, that didn't mean that Emori had to be friendly. At least, not beyond the act they both had to put up.</p><p>Bart rung the doorbell as Emori stood there with him, both dressed in their "hero attire." Emori didn't consider herself a hero--after all, her role models had been mostly anti-heroes--and this outfit certainly didn't make her feel like one. It was her father's, his old hood, and his knife stuck in her boot. It wasn't his helmet, which didn't fit her at all, nor was it his armor, which dragged down her wiry frame.</p><p>Bart still said she looked killer, which she guessed was good enough. But compared to everyone else she looked a bit too much like a ninja.</p><p>The door finally opened to reveal Jaime, who gasped. "Guys, what are you doing?"</p><p>"To hang out," Emori said, a hand on her hip. "<em>Duh.</em> We agreed on this, like, two days ago. Or did you already forget?"</p><p>Bart kicked her in the ankle and she winced.</p><p>"And put my secret ID at risk?" Jaime hissed, looking around behind himself cautiously. "Overreacting won't help," he whispered.</p><p>"Totally," Bart agreed with a nod, which Emori copied. "Hey, don't beat yourself up. I'll never get used to this so-retro obsession with secret identities. I mean, what's the point in hiding how crash we are?"</p><p>"If you don't know, I can't explain it." Jaime shut the door behind himself as he stepped out. "Let's just get out of here before someone spots us."</p><p>As he took to the air, now sporting the Blue Beetle armor, Emori went invisible--weightless--and grabbed onto Bart's shoulder.</p><p>"Ready, 'mori?"</p><p>"Probably not, but do it anyway."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>EMORI WAS NOT</b></em> a fan of 'speedster hitchhiking' as Bart called it. Even though she was invisible--and technically didn't exist when she was--her body still <em>existed.</em> Meaning it felt like she was a plastic bag get sucked into a tornado.</p><p>It was something they had been doing for years--before they were caught, anyway--but she still wasn't appreciative of it.</p><p>The thing she somehow hated more than speedster hitchhiking? Watching Bart and Jaime destroy boulders. She finally understood what her dad meant by 'playing with guns,' whenever someone threw rocks. She'd always thought it meant shooting people, which makes a lot more sense now, since he'd seemed appalled when she said it didn't hurt nearly as bad.</p><p>Her dad would probably play with guns, now that she thought about it. It made sense, he always said he was the mischievous type. "I was a nerd," he'd always say, "a total dork, I read too much and liked school a lot more than I should have. But I always had an affinity for fighting."</p><p>She couldn't tell if it was good or not that she'd gotten his mean streak.</p><p>Emori jolted from her thoughts as a plasma blast from Jaime's cannon burst a boulder apart.</p><p>"<em>Yawn,</em>" Bart sighed, patting a hand over his mouth. "Is that really the best you can do?"</p><p>"No," Jaime said defensively, before he poised with a much-larger cannon. The blast hit the rock, and for a few moments, Emori watched in awe as it started to crack. All of that stopped when it burst apart--as loud as an explosion--and she disappeared.</p><p>Bart's calm and cool persona slipped away for a brief moment as he looked behind himself, panic flashing in his eyes. He turned his attention back to Jaime, but he discreetly held his hand behind himself, out in the open air.</p><p>Emori blushed and reappeared, taking his hand shyly, trying to push down the weird feeling that settled in her chest.</p><p>Jaime blew on the top of the cannon as it formed back into his hand. "Top that, hermano."</p><p>Bart let go of her hand and crouched slightly, holding one hand above his eyes like binoculars. "Ooh, not bad, not bad. Boulder's definitely feeling the mode." He popped back up to his normal height. "But! One thing I learned in the future amigo is that it's easier to destroy"--he sped away, the debris of the boulder forming into small, circular lines before he came back to them--"than to create, ta-da!"</p><p>Emori smiled to herself as Bart posed, his arms outstretched in a victorious position. She'd missed when he was able to use his speed, it'd been too long since he'd been able to--too long since <em>she</em> had been able to use her powers, either.</p><p>Even through the armored mask over his face, it was clear Jaime was confused. "Uh, 'ta-da' what exactly?"</p><p>"Curb the attitude, get a little more altitude, hermano."</p><p>As Jaime raised upward towards the clouds, Emori finally realized what Bart had done. The last time he did this, they were kids, and he did a picture of what he thought the trees used to look like. It wasn't very accurate.</p><p>"Impulse by Impulse!" Bart announced with a chuckle, his eyes cast to the sky. "Is that crash or what?"</p><p>Jaime said something, unintelligible due to the height, and Emori felt her stomach drop as a figure appeared behind him in the sky. There wasn't time to say anything before the person--a woman, she could tell now--crashed into Jaime, bringing the two of them down into Bart's picture.</p><p>"Oh, man," Bart said, his eyes wide, "I spent 1.6 seconds on that self-portrait. It was my masterpiece!"</p><p>Emori disappeared as two new figures approached, a woman dressed like a tiger narrowly missing Bart as he ducked, sliding clean through Emori.</p><p>"Where'd the kid go?" she yelled.</p><p>Who was this person? Emori didn't know who half of anyone was these days, but she <em>certainly</em> didn't remember a tiger lady. She'd remember that.</p><p>Emori ran forward, the sound of her footsteps making the woman tense as her eyes frantically scanned the desert for her attacker. Emori held her breath as she reappeared, jumping into the air to kick the woman square in the jaw.</p><p>Tiger Woman fell, rocked by the firm kick to her jaw.</p><p>"Woah," Emori gasped with wide eyes, "I did i--"</p><p>The air was knocked out of her lungs as someone collided into her, knocking her clean onto her face. Her body <em>hurt, </em>and something was bleeding into her eye. </p><p>"No more invisible for you, little girl," the person on top of her laughed. "Not so intimidating when you're like this."</p><p>"Fuck you," she gasped, but against the dirt, it sounded more muffled than she would have liked. She disappeared, making the man press flat against the ground as she rolled clean through his arm.</p><p>He stood in alarm, his face twisted into anger. "Come out, ya little punk! You can't hide forever!"</p><p>No, but she could assess the situation before blindly jumping in. She made a mental note to thank Dick, even though she couldn't.</p><p>There was a young man made of ice--Ice Man, she decided--standing a few feet from her, Tiger Woman slightly behind him. Big Guy, who had been holding her down, and Blonde Lady, who had taken down Jaime (were they siblings? They looked like siblings). Then there was a man standing on a stone ledge not too-far from them--<em>Kaldur, </em>she'd heard about him from Dick and R.A. Since when was he a bad guy?</p><p>She didn't have time to think about it as Bart struggled in his restraints, a rope trap of some sort.</p><p>Ice Man cast an arm forward, encasing Jaime in ice. Emori's eyes widened as Bart yelled and started phase out of the restraints. Okay, it was time to do this. But what could she do? It was two against five, and they weren't exactly perfect matches for highly-trained enemies.</p><p>"Emori!" Bart yelled as he freed himself. "Free Blue!"</p><p>Tiger Woman whirled around, attempting to find Bart as Emori ran forward. Big Guy and Blonde Lady stood defensively in front of Jaime's frozen form.</p><p>Emori appeared and the two charged forward, but at the last second, she disappeared and ducked to the side. The two collided into each other, falling quickly to the ground. A few seconds to work with before they were on their feet.</p><p>"Hey, Ice Man!" she shouted. "Over here, dickhead!"</p><p>"It's <em>Icicle Jr.!</em>" </p><p>Angrily, he swiped his arms in an arc, freezing everything its path in hopes to catch her in its midst--and securely freezing his teammates.</p><p>Ice Man's eyes widened. "Oh, shit! They're gonna kill me for this!"</p><p>As he started to freak out, Emori tried to figure out a way to free Jaime. How could she do this? How did people trapped in ice work? Would he break in half if she tipped him over somehow? Would he have to thaw? </p><p>She didn't have time to think of the possibilities as the ice suddenly burst--a plasma blast freeing him, and the other two's super strength breaking their own ice.</p><p>"Blue!" Emori yelled as he stumbled backward. "They're too strong, you gotta do it!"</p><p>He raised on arm and a ring of energy burst outward, knocking all three enemies off their feet, with a staple securing itself around Tiger Woman's arm. As the siblings started to stir, Bart appeared beside the two of them.</p><p>"Or since they outnumber us four to three," he said, "we could recommend tactic, strategic retreat."</p><p>"Uh, there's actually<em> five,</em>" Emori whispered from behind them, "do people in the past not know how to count?"</p><p>"Wait," Bart said, looking to Jaime as they all began to get to their feet, "how did they find us out here in the middle of the . . . aha."</p><p>Bart sped away, up towards the ledge where Kaldur stood, and began to engage in a conversation. Because, of course,<em> that's</em> what you do.</p><p>Emori kept her eyes on the approaching people, side-by-side with Jaime.</p><p>"Uh, Em--Hood," he said anxiously, "I don't know if you're actually here, but I could use your help."</p><p>"Right here," she whispered, "just wait for them to approach. Always let them make the first move. It's the first rule of fighting, duh."</p><p>"It is?"</p><p>Bart sped back beside them, a long, strange-looking device in his hand. "They can't follow us now, let's book!"</p><p>Emori barely grabbed onto his shoulder before the two of them made their quick getaway, leaving the others in the dust.</p><p>She really, really wished she had superspeed. Or flight.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>THE COMPUTER ANNOUNCED</em> </b>their arrival, loud and clear, and Emori hesitantly appeared. Bart said it was funny, that she was like one of those fish that camouflage where there's a predator, except she just did it whenever she got anxious. She didn't find it that funny.</p><p>Bart laughed, holding the device in his hand. "Left them in the dust!"</p><p>"Left <em>who</em> in the dust?" Emori disappeared with wide eyes as Dick approached them, pointing towards the device. "And what is that?"</p><p>"Souvenir," Bart announced proudly.</p><p>"Souvenirs are Beast Boy's thing, ese."</p><p>"Should that even be here?" Emori whispered. "What if it's, like, a Trigon Horse?"</p><p>"I think you mean--"</p><p>Dick's eyes narrowed as he stood only three feet from them. "<em>Can we get to it?</em>"</p><p> "Sorry," Jaime apologized, "Aqualad attacked us with Icicle Jr., the Terror Twins, and a ninja girl I didn't recognize."</p><p>"This is how they tracked Blue," Bart said, holding the device a little higher, "I made sure they couldn't do it again."</p><p>"So you brought foreign--possibly alien--tech into the Cave?" His eyes narrowed. "Rookie mistake." Then he sighed, like this entire situation made him too-tired to think--<em>that </em>was the Dick Emori knew. "Alright, give it here."</p><p>"Sorry," Emori said, "I didn't think--"</p><p>"That's right, you didn't." Emori's cheeks filled with heat and she suddenly felt like crying. "Just--just come on out. Remember what we said about disappearing in the Cave?"</p><p>Emori forced herself to be calm despite the ache in her chest as she reappeared. "That when people are talking to me I should appear, or at least announce myself when I enter a room."</p><p>Last time she was here, she'd made Beast Boy accidentally turn into a tiger out of fear when she spoke.</p><p>"Thank you." He looked at the device in his hands as he walked over to the other side of the room. "We need to find out what this thing is. <em>Now.</em>" </p><p>He typed into his forearm--a glove of some sort that made a holographic screen appear--and images of the device appear, full of statistics and graphs.</p><p>"Woah," she breathed out, "how'd it do that?"</p><p>"It automatically linked with the device and is attempting to decode it," Dick explained, right before he cut his eyes towards her. "Don't they have this in the future?"</p><p>"Oh, right," she quickly said, "it's just so retro. I mean, we already know what everything is, there's no need to search anything up."</p><p>"So do you know what <em>this</em> is?"</p><p>Emori's shoulders sagged. "No. I've never seen it before. Maybe it's something people used back--now?"</p><p>"I've never seen it before," Dick said. "It's alien, and it definitely isn't Krolotean. I haven't seen anything this sophisticated before." He paused as he looked at the screens. "You said this could track Blue, right?"</p><p>"I mean, yeah," Emori shrugged, "that's what they said. Or that's what Bart said they did. It makes sense, if it's alien." She quickly caught herself and looked towards Jaime. "Hey, are you alien?"</p><p>"Wha--no!" He frowned. "At least, I don't think so? Look, I don't know<em> how</em> those people found me. Maybe they can track the scarab, maybe it's alien--I don't know, I swear."</p><p>"I believe you," Dick sighed. "But that doesn't solve anything. We still need to know <em>why</em> they're after you, and how Aqualad got this."</p><p>Before Emori could open her mouth to say anything, the computer started beeping softly, but loud enough to make her tense.</p><p>Dick's eyes widened momentarily before he groaned. "I'm an idiot!" He turned, escrima stick in hand, and Emori followed, whirling around--right as Superboy crashed directly into Dick.</p><p>As the two slid across the floor, Emori disappeared quickly. "I told you it was a Trigon Horse!"</p><p>"It's <em>Trojan Horse!</em>" Jaime yelled.</p><p>Ice Man--<em>Icicle Jr.</em>--stood up on a ledge that Emori hadn't even known was there and fired ice down onto the floor, creating a path of ice, one large enough that it blocked off half the room. Bart was too advanced, he didn't need <em>just</em> the floor.</p><p>Jaime took to the air and Bart sped away, leaving Emori, invisible, on the ground. She really wished she had a mode of transportation like them. Jaime left--somewhere down the hallway--and Emori stood as the 'Terror Twins' walked forward, the girl of them carrying Beast Boy over her shoulder like a small sack of rocks.</p><p>Bart ran down the wall--and directly into Terror Twin Girl. He bounced off and Terror Twin Boy caught him firmly in one hand. Bart twisted and speed-punched him in the throat, and Emori wished he paid more attention to his surroundings instead of speeding through things.</p><p>"Ah!" Bart cried out. "My hands! What are you made of?"</p><p>As Terror Twin Boy started to say something vaguely threatening to Bart, Emori forced herself to think of a plan. There were limited options here. Blue was god knows where, Dick and Superboy were sprawled out on the floor, Beast Boy had an--<em>inhibitor collar,</em> and with horror, she realized Superboy did, too.</p><p>They were collaring them. Was this how it started? This wasn't how it started--that's not how this went. Emori's mind spun a thousand miles an hour as Bart was collared and knocked out by Terror Twin Boy.</p><p>She was no match for these people, not alone. They were indestructible, and Emori could only play keep-away for so long.</p><p>Jaime flew into the room and aimed his cannon at Terror Twin Boy, rings of energy catching him off guard and flattening him against the ground. At the same time, Dick pushed Superboy off of him, and just barely got to his feet before Tiger Woman kicked him straight in the jaw. She swept his legs out from under him and went to collar him, but Emori ran over, her heart moving faster than her mind.</p><p>She appeared and brought her foot down across the woman's neck, knocking her backward, but before Emori could disappear, the woman grabbed her ankle and slammed her into the floor. In the haze of pain radiating from her skull, she could barely comprehend the fighting around her.</p><p><em>God,</em> this hurt.</p><p>Shakily, Emori raised herself up with one arm as Tiger Woman collared Dick.</p><p>"<em>No!</em>"</p><p>Right as she turned, Emori disappeared into thin air, and rolled to her feet. She sprinted forward, briefly appearing long enough to swipe Tiger Woman's feet out from under her. The woman groaned and Emori appeared again, her foot reared back to kick the woman square in the temple--</p><p>Someone snapped an inhibitor collar around her neck and she let out a yelp, her fingers frantically digging at the collar as her eyes widened. She willed herself to disappear, to bring herself far, far from this place, but nothing worked. <em>It was just like it was before</em>.</p><p>"Aw, look," Terror Twin Girl cooed, "looks like someone knows what this thing is."</p><p>Emori narrowly managed to duck her punch and the woman stumbled forward blindly, too much force behind her move. Emori took a step backward, prepared to move into a somersault if she could manage it, but something caught her calf.</p><p>Once again, she slammed down into the floor, her head cracking against the cement flooring. She groaned, gasping for breath as she felt her head morph with pain.</p><p>"This is for the headache, punk."</p><p>There wasn't time to move as a boot came to the side of her head, snapping her face into the floor--effectively knocking her out before she could think.</p><p>This wasn't how this was supposed to go.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Big Bad Wolf of the Apocalypse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI HAD NEVER FELT SO MUCH PAIN.</b> Nothing compared to this. Not when she broke her arm, or her leg, or her rib, not even when the fire broke out two years ago. This--this was unimaginable.</p><p>She'd almost escaped, once, a long time after she woke up. Her mind finally cleared enough through the haze of electricity coursing through her veins, enough to allow her to disappear. She hadn't gotten very far since she refused to leave Bart, which left her back in the pod, with the inhibitor collar this time, on a much higher voltage than before.</p><p>It was impossible to tell how long it had been. It felt like an eternity, waiting for something she couldn't figure out. Why wouldn't they just kill her? Or send her to the working fields when they were ready? What was the point of this? <em>Why</em> were they doing this?</p><p>It was endless. She'd wake up, electricity would course through her body until everything burned and her throat was raw from screaming, then she would pass out. She'd wake up again, it would repeat. She'd managed to barely piece together that this pod kept them all alive despite torturing them.</p><p>Above that, she hadn't once woken up or had a moment of peace since she escaped. Every moment was spent unconscious or in pain, yet there was a few minutes each time before she passed out when it would stop, and the aliens would step to the window right by her eyes, and observe. They'd talk in their language and stare at her as she gasped shallow breaths, taking amusement in her worst nightmare.</p><p>Emori would have believed it was a year later when she finally woke to something other than electrocution.</p><p>She groaned, her muscles feeling like they had collapsed long before. For a moment, she laid on the ground, unable to process anything going on as she gratefully took in the moments of peace. Any minute, the aliens would be back, and this time, Emori didn't think she'd make it out alive.</p><p>Someone touched her shoulder roughly and she let out a scream, limply scrambling back until she hit the closed pod with a <em>clang</em>.</p><p>Bart stood there, his hands held up in surrender.</p><p>
  <em>Hey, it's me.</em>
</p><p>Emori's eyes widened fearfully as she looked around. Beast Boy and Miss Martian were nearby, but this didn't make any sense. How were they here? Where were they? Why was Bart in her head?</p><p><em>It's a Martian thing, mind-speaking,</em> Bart said, slowly stepping forward. <em>It's you and me, remember? You and me.</em></p><p>It felt like a blessing to hear Bart--not his cheery voice, but the real him.</p><p><em>Is this real?</em> she asked, her mind unable to wrap around the situation.<em> Are you real?</em></p><p><em>It's me,</em> he said, <em>cross my heart and hope to die--</em></p><p>
  <em>Stick a sword in my eye.</em>
</p><p>Even though they said it when they were kids, it made her feel a thousand times better. Shakily, she stood, and the inhibitor collar around her neck fell off. Emori didn't question it as she quickly disappeared, one hand clasped onto Bart's shoulder.</p><p>Maybe this wasn't real, but that was okay. Whatever this was, she wanted to stay here.</p><p><em>Thanks for the rescue, </em>Bart chirped,<em> I'll find Blue.</em></p><p>Miss Martian yelled for them to stop, but Bart didn't listen as he sped away. Emori didn't mind. For the first time in--ever, actually--she didn't mind speedster hitchhiking. She liked the feeling of being weightless, even if her weak fingers cramped to hold onto his shoulder.</p><p>Voices echoed in her head, the one she recognized distinctly being Dick. But Emori couldn't hear them, it took too much effort to focus in on the constant chatter in her brain. Everything hurt, she couldn't think about what they were saying. </p><p>Eventually, everything stopped, but Emori didn't notice it until Bart mentioned it. She was too busy keeping her eyes open and holding onto his shoulder. When she thought about it, it was kind of funny. She was invisible, things went through her, and she didn't appear to thermal sensors. Yet she could hold on to Bart in the speedforce.</p><p>Her head started to hurt at the amount of energy it took to think about the complicated science behind it, so she stopped. All she did was reach her other hand onto Bart's shoulder, grab on, and watched as things blurred past them. She could just barely make out things before they moved on, room after room, hall after hall.</p><p>Emori snapped back to reality when the speedforce stopped. They were in a room, the alien woman that always observed her was on the ground, and Jaime was in a pod.</p><p>She took a deep breath, and got to her feet.</p><p>"Bart," she whispered, "what's going on?"</p><p>"I--I don't know yet." He tore something off of the pod and it opened, and hesitantly Bart caught Jaime in his arms. "They came for everyone. They didn't leave us."</p><p>"They should have," she rasped, "they're gonna get themselves killed. The past is stupid."</p><p>He huffed out a laugh. "Yeah, I knew you'd say that. But the hot water's nice, at least."</p><p>"Yeah, that's pretty nice."</p><p>Jaime groaned awake, and for a brief moment, Emori almost lunged forward. She had to remind herself that even though that scarab was on his back, this was Jaime Reyes. Stupid, not-adult, not-evil Jaime Reyes. <em>Not a murderer Jaime Reyes</em>.</p><p>He mumbled something in a language neither of them understood.</p><p>"Hey, uh, I don't know what you're saying," Bart said, snapping his fingers in front of Jaime's face, "wake up, we gotta go."</p><p>"Alright, but--how are you here? What's going on?"</p><p>"The Team came and saved us," Bart explained, "super crash, totally cool, let's go--"</p><p>"No, something--something's wrong with you," Jaime said as he leaned on him. "What aren't you telling me?"</p><p>Bart made direct eye-contact with Emori. "I'm gonna tell him."</p><p>Her eyes widened. "Bart, don't you dare! I'll kill you, I swore off murder, but I swear to god I'll kill you!"</p><p>He sighed and Emori would have stopped him if she had the energy. But she didn't.</p><p>"We're from the future."</p><p>"Uh, yeah, we've already covered that."</p><p>"No--it isn't what I told you. I'm not a tourist, and neither is she." Emori bit her lip until it sent a rocket of pain through her chin. "There isn't flying cars in the future, or anything like that old movie. It's . . ."</p><p>"The human race is enslaved," Emori finished for him. "These aliens, they do it. Everyone they don't kill is left to be caught or try to hide. Everyone always gets caught, then you get sent to the labor camps. They put an inhibitor collar on everyone, and you work until you die." She glared at Jaime. "The Reach, they get you on-mode, and you become the Big Bad Wolf of the apocalypse."</p><p>The three started to make their way out, Emori following as fast as she could behind them.</p><p>"No," Jaime groaned, "I wouldn't. I would never, I promise."</p><p>"You do," Emori said, unable to stop herself, "<em>you</em> become the Nightmare of Humankind." </p><p>"That's the main reason we came back," Bart said, still trying to soften the blow, "well, one reason we came back to the past. To stop <em>you </em>from betraying the human race and bringing on the Reach apocalypse." </p><p>"I . . . I can't believe this."</p><p>"Well, believe it," Emori said, coughing into her fist, "because thing's aren't going to get any better from here."</p><p>"Whatever I did you--in the future, I mean--I'm sorry. I promise I'd never do that. Not <em>willingly</em> at least."</p><p>Emori scowled as they made their way down a hallway. "Yeah, well, doesn't bring back my dead dad, does it?" She huffed. "Whatever, that wasn't fair I guess. Just--just give me a minute, I feel like I'm gonna die, and this isn't helping."</p><p>"Do you want me to slow down?" Bart asked. "We--"</p><p>"We're escaping an alien headquarters," Emori hissed, "there isn't time to walk. I just--I don't have to feel good while we're doing it. Let's go."</p><p>At that, they hurried forward. She could see Beast Boy and Miss Martian at the end of the wall, at an entrance that was sealed off.</p><p>Suddenly, she stumbled, her hand going to her chest as it pulsed painfully. She gasped, her eyes wide as she gripped the fabric of her suit desperately.</p><p>Jaime flew ahead, now wearing his armor, while Bart ran over to her. "Hey, hey--what's going on? Come on, don't do this--"</p><p>"I'm not dying," she gasped, "I'd know if I was dying. This is--it's just pressure. I think the pain built up or something. I don't know, we never learned anatomy."</p><p>He anxiously looked between her and the now-open door to the entrance. "'Mori, we gotta go. I can get you help if you can make it to the Bioship."</p><p>"I'm fine, just--just go ahead." He shook his head and reached for her. "Bart, <em>go.</em> I'll be right behind you. I just gotta catch my breath. I can go invis-o, remember? I'm good."</p><p>With one final hesitant look, Bart sped away, and Emori leaned against the wall. <em>God,</em> this hurt. It pulsed, like energy beams, and her mind raced as she tried to find an answer. Was this what a heart-attack felt like? It looked a lot more violent than this when that old man did it. So what <em>was</em> this?</p><p><em>Hood, </em>someone yelled in her head, <em>it's time to go! Whatever's going on, we'll fix it here!</em></p><p><em>I think I'm having a coma, </em>she gasped as she stumbled forward. One hand still clenched her suit as she disappeared, everything suddenly feeling much, much lighter. The pressure lessened and she broke into a half-jog, pushing herself as hard as she could as she nearly slipped down the entrance.</p><p>Her eyes widened as her waist met water. She couldn't quite feel it, but still, the idea that it was that high terrified her. <em>Water</em> terrified her.</p><p>She pushed back the questions swarming her brain as she walked through the water, crouching as Jaime fought Black Beetle. This was going to be over soon, and then she'd never have to see Black Beetle again. She didn't have to interfere, she just had to keep walking until she made it through the hatch.</p><p>Emori felt the pressure greatly decrease and she did her best to run, the weightless feeling of not existing in the water pushing her forward until she clear the Bioship hatch, right as a wave crashed in behind her.</p><p>She reappeared as soon as she saw Bart get thrown forward by it and she dropped to her knees. What were you supposed to do when someone was knocked out? Emori couldn't remember, and she felt like slapping them across the face wasn't the right idea.</p><p>"Uh, Hood," Beast Boy whispered cautiously, "you're . . . glowing."</p><p>"Uh, thanks," she said, poking Bart in the chest in hopes it would wake him up. "Is this normal? Does water knock people out like this in the past?"</p><p>"He just hit his head," Wonder Girl explained, kneeling down beside them as the water started to receded. "He'll wake up in a few seconds, he's just dazed. But, seriously, do you do this often?"</p><p>"Do I--<em>oh.</em>" A white energy pulsed from her, slowly, like a halo. "This isn't a coma . . ."</p><p>"I think the electrocuting made you have double powers," Beast Boy said in awe as he looked to Miss Martian. "Can I get new ones, too? What about telepathy?"</p><p>Emori shook her head as Bart started to wake up. "I don't have any extra powers. I go invis-o, that's all. It's <em>kinda</em> my specialty."</p><p>Now she understood why Bart liked this persona so much. It was easier to do than face reality.</p><p>"Well," Beast Boy shrugged, "you have two now! And I think this is pretty cool."</p><p>Yeah, it was just great.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>LAGOON BOY HAD</em></b> saved Jaime. Emori had gotten the basic rundown of what happened from Dick, who seemed a little apprehensive until the glowing stopped. It had been <em>seven entire days</em>, the Cave had been blown up after Kaldur and his team left, they'd been searching ever since and somehow managed to find them. They snuck in the ship (they were<em> underwater,</em> which Emori hadn't realized until she looked out the Bioship window), freed everyone that was held prisoner, until Black Beetle showed up and tried to stop them. Someone named 'Shimmer' managed to accidentally blow a hole in the side of the ship, which is where the water was spilling in from, and then Blue and Black Beetle battled until Jaime was sucked out, unconscious.</p><p>Emori didn't think going back in time would be easy, but she definitely didn't think it warranted sudden torture.</p><p>"Hood, can I talk to you for a minute?"</p><p>She shyly walked over to Dick, her mind immediately going to the worst, which she couldn't decide if it was him finding out her father was his dead brother, or finding out the future wasn't the future. She decided that dead brother was the worst.</p><p>"Decamo."</p><p>Emori blushed and reappeared. "Sorry, what's up?"</p><p>"Back at the Cave," he said, wincing slightly at the mention of it, "before it was blown up and you were taken, you tried to help me. When Tigress tried to put an inhibitor collar on me, you wouldn't let her."</p><p>She quirked an eyebrow. "Um, isn't that what teammates do? Next time, I'll--"</p><p>"You knew me," Dick stated. "In the future, you knew me. Didn't you?"</p><p>Emori blinked in surprise, wanting to disappear and never speak again, but she only shrugged and smiled. "Yeah, I did--do, I mean." She let out a small laugh. "I wasn't too eager to see you get captured, if you know what I mean."</p><p>He didn't seem too convinced. "Just--keep quiet about what happened here, okay? The Garricks don't need to know about this."</p><p>Emori gave a cheeky thumbs up. "Got it, Boss."</p><p>She turned on her heel, surprised to see Jaime and Bart talking. Just two minutes before Jaime had been unconscious while Bart poked his shoulder blade rapid-fire despite Dick's insisting that he shouldn't.</p><p>Desperately, she wanted to be mad. She wanted to hate him, to scream at him for all he'd caused. But she couldn't. Because the Blue Beetle she knew--the one in the past--it was just like Black Beetle. And what had Jaime done? He'd fought Black Beetle, even when it seemed hopeless.</p><p>She still hated Future Blue Beetle, and definitely the suit, too, but she didn't hate Jaime Reyes.</p><p>The rest of the team started to talk among themselves as Emori made her way over to stand beside Bart. "So, finally decided to wake up?"</p><p>Jaime winced as he moved to stand up, sitting back down directly after. "Yeah, wasn't really my choice to<em> not</em>, though."</p><p>Emori went invisible once more, feeling entirely comfortable in it, and Jaime didn't seem to mind as much anymore. "Hey, Bart--do you think Joan has those giant marshmallows? The really sweet ones that melt really quick."</p><p>"Uh, <em>duh,</em> you're the only one who eats them."</p><p>As the two began to bicker, Emori, in the back of her mind, realized how weird this must have been. Bart insulting air, which happened to talk back as he tried to poke it in a blurred motion. But if this--feeling like death and suddenly getting a strange new ability--was going to be the norm, she thought she should be allowed these moments.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Not Dying Is Pretty Cool</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b><em>EMORI HAD NEVER </em></b>had therapy before. Her dad had it, before the Reach, before he died for the first time, and he said it was nice, once you got past all the trauma. Which made Emori wonder what in the world she was supposed to do if she couldn't talk about trauma, since all that trauma was about the <em>apocalypse</em>, which no one could know about.</p><p>That panic meant she had been invisible ever since she sat down in her chair. It was comforting, knowing no one could see her, that it was just her. The sound of Bart nervously tapping his hand down onto his knee was comforting, too, something he'd always done. It had been too long since Emori had heard it that quick, since<em> either</em> of them had used their powers.</p><p>The tapping--which now included both hands--stopped abruptly and Emori turned to see Jaime's finger on Bart's wrist, stopping him from going any further.</p><p>"Oh," Bart shrugged, "ah, sorry."</p><p>Only two seconds later, the sound started again, this time with his foot.</p><p>"Bart," Emori whispered, "stop it, it's annoying them."</p><p>He did and looked over to her--or, at least where she was. "Have you ever poked someone while you're invis-o?"</p><p>She blinked. "Um, no? I can't, remember? Density shifting, or something, it makes everything go through me."</p><p>A boy--the one with the lightning t-shirt, sitting in the chairs across from them--let out a huffy laugh. "I didn't think this day could get <em>any</em> weirder. But now there's an invisible girl."</p><p>Emori blushed. "I've been here the entire time, actually."</p><p>The boy's eyes went slightly wide as the door opened, and Emori flinched away from it as someone walked out. The teenager--"Tye" as Black Canary said--walked to his seat and sat down.</p><p>The boy with the lightning shirt left with Black Canary into the room as Jaime burst to his feet. "Tye!" Tye looked up at him, confused, as Jaime titled his head slightly--like he was talking to himself. "<em>Tiime</em> to stretch!" Jaime finished, raising his arms to the air as he did so. "Yep, gotta keep limber!"</p><p>Emori rolled her eyes as she crossed her legs, the sound making several heads in the room turn. "Uh, sorry?"</p><p>This persona--the one that Bart used, where everything was happy and cheery--was helpful. It made things easier. It made lying easier, because everyone believed you. Who wouldn't believe the happy, smiling person?</p><p>Emori wouldn't.</p><p>"Can you--not do that?" Tye asked, his eyes downcast towards the tile floor. "It's freaking me out."</p><p>She really didn't want to, the idea of appearing made her uncomfortable, but she did it anyway. Bart glanced at her, and as he turned away he grabbed her hand in his. Emori blushed and looked down, wishing it would just <em>go away</em> and not be so noticeable.</p><p>It wasn't that noticeable, anymore. Before, she used to be pale, but now she was as tan as her father was in the photos before he died for the first time. She guessed that was because now the sun actually <em>existed </em>and wasn't hidden behind clouds, but she couldn't find it in herself to mind.</p><p>Virgil quickly walked out of the room and flopped into his chair, and it was clear it hadn't gone well. Great, just <em>great</em>. Bart left next, leaving Emori to wait for him. She didn't like waiting, it always made her anxious. And angry. She wasn't sure if the last part was normal, but she always chalked it up to be too much anger with not enough place to go. At least, that's what R.A. always said, and with a frown, she realized it was a short joke.</p><p>She missed him. That was what she'd missed the most when she arrived. He was one of the only people who hadn't died, and she had had to leave him. Just like that. No explanation, no nothing, because she knew if she gave one, he'd never let her leave.</p><p>But it was alright, because she was doing this for him, for <em>all </em>of them. Things would be better now. She might not be there with them--hell, they might not even <em>remember</em> her--but at least they could live a good, happy life.</p><p>The thought of them living a happy life without her made her chest ache, but she ignored it. It was fine, it was all fine. The past wasn't so bad, anyways. There was hot water, and marshmallows, and TV--oh, and there wasn't always the constant fear of getting publicly executed, which was nice.</p><p>Bart came back a lot sooner than she thought he would, speeding to his seat. He was nervous, Black Canary undoubtedly said something that freaked him out. Great, what if she asked the same question again? Emori hoped she wouldn't.</p><p>"Hood?" Black Canary asked. "Your turn."</p><p>Bart gave her hand a squeeze, and she wished they could do this together, but she knew that wasn't a choice. She had to do this on her own, and they already had their stories straight, this would be okay. She had this, she definitely had it.</p><p>As Emori sat down in the chair and saw the camera, she knew she definitely did<em> not</em> have it. But Black Canary didn't need to know that.</p><p>"Hood--or do you prefer Emori?"</p><p>"Either's fine," she chirped. "It really doesn't matter, but most people here call me Hood since no one actually knows my name."</p><p>Black Canary nodded thoughtfully and Emori wanted to disappear. "So, Emori, I wanted to talk to you about something. Garfield, the others, they said you were targeted the most."</p><p>"Well, yeah," she shrugged, doing her best to keep it together, "that makes sense. They didn't know what my powers were, so I escaped, and they--they put an inhibitor collar on me and upped the voltage. No biggie, really."</p><p>"You were tortured," Black Canary said, linking her fingers together on the desk top, "that isn't a 'no biggie' topic. Is it one for you?"</p><p>Memories flashed through Emori's mind, rapid-fire. "<em>Well,</em> I've never been tortured before, but it seems like a regular thing for everyone else. No one seems to hurt by it."</p><p>"They are, they've just been at this a longer time." Black Canary met Emori's gaze, like she was dissecting her. "<em>You</em> were tortured more than anyone else. You're the only one out of the team that's experiencing new powers."</p><p>Emori's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, that? It's nothing, I don't think it even does anything. Nothing's happened since then, and nothing happened <em>when</em> it happened. I think it was just some fluke."</p><p>She didn't seem so convinced. "Well, there's one more thing I'd like to ask about, if you don't mind."</p><p>"Go right ahead."</p><p>"Why won't you tell anyone who you are?" Emori felt her stomach flip, but she forced herself to stay the same. "Bart has, and you two do everything together. If your family isn't someone you think we'd like, it's okay, many of the other League and team members have--"</p><p>"My family isn't bad," Emori insisted, before catching herself. "Sorry, that was rude of me, wasn't it? But, they're not. I just don't want to talk about them. My dad doesn't even exist yet, neither does my mom, and they never knew their family--their isn't anything to reveal if there's nothing here."</p><p>Black Canary hummed. "Alright. But if anything changes, let me know, alright?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>Emori hurried out and sat back down in her chair, invisible once again. Lagoon Boy went next, leaving only her, Bart, and Jaime left in their row of chairs against the wall.</p><p>Suddenly, Jaime grabbed Bart's wrist and dragged him around the corner, Emori right on their heels. She knew what Jaime was doing it for, but <em>still,</em> he didn't have to be so aggressive about it.</p><p>"W-what'd you tell them, <em>ese</em>?"</p><p>Bart looked down for a moment before his eyebrows set in anger as he walked towards Jaime. "About you betraying mankind and causing the Reach Apocalypse?" Bart laughed and placed a hand on Jaime's armored shoulder. "<em>Nada,</em> amigo. See, I have no idea what actually turns you. For all we know, the League finding out could be the very thing that makes it happen so, I say we say nothing  to no one."</p><p>Bart stuck out his fist, and somehow, he knew the exact moment Emori hit it, and in sync, the two made a small explosion noise as their fists drifted apart.</p><p>"Keep quiet," Jaime whispered.</p><p>"Exactly," Bart agreed, wrapping an arm around Jaime's shoulders. "Stick with me, Blue. I'll keep you from feeling the mode."</p><p>"I, uh, guess I will too."</p><p>Jaime flinched. "Jeez, can you appear for a second? You're like a ghost." He frowned at Bart. "How do you even know when she's there?"</p><p>Bart smirked. "<em>Practice.</em> You can't know when she's around, yet you can. I've perfected the Emorial science."</p><p>Emori appeared with a huff. "First of all, that's not even a word. At least, I don't think so, I never went to school. Second of all, you're suited up too! Why do I have to appear if you can hide behind your little"--she gestured to his suit--"bug shell."</p><p>"It's a scarab," Jaime defended, "and I can't. For . . . reasons. Just, trust me, I have to wear this." He winced. "And I don't mind your powers, I swear I don't, but the others--I think it's freaking them out."</p><p>Emori frowned as they started to walk back to their seats. "I'll give them something to freak out about."</p><p>"She's kidding, right?" Jaime whispered as they sat down.</p><p>"I'm fifty-percent sure she's kidding."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>EMORI SAT EATING</em></b> her chips, wondering if all food tasted this good. She thought everything tasted good, since in the future, a home-cooked meal hadn't existed for decades. Were potato chips meant to be this tasty? She wasn't sure, but she felt like she could eat three of the bags from the vending machine.</p><p>Bart stood at the vending machine with the others who were all crowded around, naming things they wanted, and Bart would phase his hand through, grab it, and phase the item back out. It made Emori smile as everyone cheered every time something came out, that somehow <em>this </em>was the one thing that made everyone smile since they were rescued.</p><p>Everyone dispersed with their food and Bart sat back down, several bags in his hands. "You know," he said, "I'm convinced the past has the best food ever. Now I get why everyone talked about Twinkies, these things are <em>so</em> good."</p><p>Emori shrugged. "They taste like plastic, but good plastic." At a stare from Virgil--she learned his name earlier--she shrugged. "What? They're not too good, but it's not like I'd say no to one."</p><p>Abruptly, Jaime stood, and Bart didn't notice as he opened his package of Twinkies. Emori's eyes widened as Jaime opened the door and walked into the room where Captain Atom, Dick, and Black Canary were having a discussion.</p><p>Emori elbowed Bart sharply in the arm, making him drop his Twinkie. "Dude! My Twinki--"</p><p>With one tilt her head, she signaled what was going on, and Bart burst to his feet and sped after Jaime. Emori followed, running into the room and shutting the door behind them. Those teens did <em>not</em> need to hear this.</p><p>"Blue, Blue, Blue," Bart rapidly said, his hand on Jaime's shoulder, "Blue, what happened to <em>keep quiet?</em>"</p><p>"No, time for the truth." Jaime glanced at Emori, and she could hear him loud and clear: <em>please don't murder me. </em>She wouldn't make any promises. "Impulse and Hood say sometime in the future I betray Earth and bring on a Reach Apocalypse. That's not a future I can live with."</p><p>Jaime walked forward and his suit disappeared as he jutted a thumb to the scarab pinching into his skin. "So, whatever it takes, get this scarab off me."</p><p>"Well, fuck," Emori whispered, "this didn't go well."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. You Little Rat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>THINGS WERE VERY, VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.</b> For several reasons, mostly for Emori. One, earlier that day they had tried to remove Jaime's scarab from the inside with Atom and Bumblebee shrunk down to microscopic size, but that went about as well as they thought it would. Two, that morning Emori had been making toast, and when she unplugged the toaster, it shocked her. Which wouldn't have been a big deal if it wasn't only seven days ago that she had been rescued from the Reach's electric tortures.</p><p>Bart had heard her scream, and by the time he sped into the room, she'd already disappeared. Eventually, he coaxed her out, and they talked it over before Joan and Jay woke up, but <em>still.</em> It was weird, and it made her uncomfortable, because Bart had seen her all kinds of vulnerable, but this? This was new--or, it wasn't new, sometimes the smell of ash in the fire place terrified her, or the sound of the oven door slamming shut made her think someone had been killed.</p><p>Maybe it was normal and she just hadn't thought twice about it, but now she was, since Bart kept glancing at her like she'd disappear any moment. It sucked.</p><p>"Obviously," Dick said, snapping her attention back to the subject at hand, "any partnership between The Reach and Lex Luthor is bad news. So Alpha Squad is going undercover to recon Lexcorp Farms. Robin, you'll be running Alpha."</p><p>Robin jolted slightly in surprise. "Me? Run Alpha?" He quickly straightened himself out. "Right. Who's on the squad?"</p><p>"Blue Beetle--"</p><p>"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Jaime quickly said, "I should<em> not</em> be in the field, <em>ese</em>. What if the scarab goes all Reach Apocalypse on us?"</p><p>Emori wasn't sure if it was good that her first thought was <em>cry,</em> and the one immediately following it was <em>murder.</em></p><p>"Your scarab has had multiple opportunities to betray us," Dick explained. "It hasn't. And right now, its connection to The Reach may be our best shot at identifying what they're up to."</p><p>Bart quickly sped in front of Jaime. "Well," he pitched, jabbing a thumb towards himself, "if Blue's going, I'm going."</p><p>"I assumed as much," Dick said, the smallest smile on his face. He nodded towards Emori, and the message was clear: <em>you two don't leave the house without each other, it's a given.</em></p><p>Dick halted for a moment before he spoke again. "And last but not least, Arsenal. But you'll have to travel lighter for your first mission. Nothing that won't fit under civilian clothes. Any questions?"</p><p>"Just one."</p><p>Emori jolted, instantly disappearing as she whirled around to see someone step out of the dark corner.<em> Arsenal</em>. The original R.A.--aka Roy Harper. It was strange to hear his face, it made her almost uncomfortable how close it sounded to R.A's. She didn't know whether she should scream in anger, cry, or run away. All seemed good.</p><p>"Why are we meeting in this dump?"</p><p>"With the Cave and the Hall of Justice destroyed we don't have many other options," Dick answered with his arms crossed.</p><p>"Except the Watchtower," Arsenal pointed out. "It's national news now. You can't pretend it doesn't exist."</p><p>He was a lot more angry than R.A. Which was saying something, since R.A. regularly berated people for doing their job wrong.</p><p>"Only Justice Leaguers and <em>senior</em> members of the team are authorized for the Watchtower," Dick explained. You don't qualify."</p><p>"Good to know where we stand."</p><p>Well, great. On top of everything else going wrong in Emori's life, there was a miniature R.A., too.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>"TRAM'S ARE SO</em></b> crash," Emori whispered with wide eyes. "I mean--look at it! It's like a car but without the walls."</p><p>"It's not that exciting."</p><p>Emori's lips pursed in anger, and before she could think about it, she promptly flipped a bird to Arsenal. Jaime hid his laugh as a violent cough as they exited the tram, much to the displeasure of Arsenal's scowl.</p><p>Well, fuck him. He sucked. And not in a good fun way, in the kind that Emori usually gave a bloody nose.</p><p>They followed the small crowd of people forward, the tour guide in front as they looked at their surroundings. Emori did her best to memorize everything, but outside of a fight, it never was her strong suit. Most likely, she'd forget everything in two hours.</p><p>"We've just entered one of our farm's hydroponic domes where Lexcorp and The Reach are growing the food of the future!" the tour guide reported, the enthusiasm in her voice overwhelming.</p><p>"This could put the rest of Smallville's farmers out of business," an older man in the front huffed.</p><p>"No, no!" the woman said with a small shake of her finger. "Not at all! The Reach plans to share their techniques with the entire agricultural community."</p><p><em>As they harvested their children,</em> Emori mentally added.</p><p>"Please, everyone," the tour guide said, leading them towards a table of fruit, "enjoy your choice of these new, vitamin-rich, Reach-enhanced produce."</p><p>"Genetically enhanced?" Robin asked, and Emori still couldn't get used to his street clothes.</p><p>"There's been no tinkering with genes, rest assured! The Reach have ways of drawing out an organism's full potential!"</p><p>The team stuck to one table while everyone moved forward to the second one, where the more appealing produce was. Emori knew how it started, but seeing it? It gave her a sick feeling in her stomach.</p><p>Robin grabbed a plump tomato and dropped it into a Ziploc bag before he tucked it into his pocket. Emori watched Jaime do the same before the obnoxious sound of chewing sounded from behind her.</p><p>She gasped softly and turned to see Bart eating the largest apple she had ever seen. "Bart!" she hastily whispered. "What are you doing?"</p><p>"Maintaining cover," he said, "<em>duh.</em>"</p><p>"When someone asks what happened," she sighed, "I'm just gonna tell them you were stupid enough to eat the apple. Like--like that Disney princess."</p><p>"Snow White."</p><p>Emori's face pinched at Arsenal's scoffing tone. "Listen here, you little rat--"</p><p>"Shut it," Robin hissed, "this isn't the place. Attack each other for all I care, just not here."</p><p>With a scowl she followed behind as they walked towards the tour guide.</p><p>"What's in those tubes?" Robin asked.</p><p>"Just water, nutrients, and a little Reach/Lexcorp love!"</p><p>Emori grimaced as the tour guide started to walk away, calling out that they were going to see 'pluots.' </p><p>"She's a robot," Emori said firmly, "there's no way she's real."</p><p>"Says the one who talks like the excitable cartoon character."</p><p>Before she could make her way to him, Jaime grabbed the back of her shirt. "Hey, hey--stop! Robin's right, we don't have time for this."</p><p>"I'm gonna beat your ass."</p><p>Bart groaned in unison with the other two boys as Arsenal smirked. "Looking forward to it, <em>Hood.</em>"</p><p>Robin started to walk towards the corner of the farm. "Time for a bathroom break."</p><p>"I went before we left," Bart said as he started to walk towards the group before Jaime pulled him back. "Ah, dude, they don't have pluots in the future."</p><p>"It sounds like a drug," Emori agreed, "and not the good kind."</p><p>Robin sighed. "No more comments from the peanut gallery."</p><p>"What the hell is a peanut gallery?"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>EMORI HATED THIS.</b></em> She tried to reason that it was stupid going into the men's bathroom, that she could just go into the women's and it wouldn't even matter. But no, Robin wanted them to all be together, and if someone walked in, she could just disappear.</p><p>Awful plan. Awful, awful plan.</p><p>Bart groaned loudly, cutting the thick silence of the room. "Can we please <em>start</em> the mission now?"</p><p>"Yeah," she agreed, "this sucks. And my foot's cramping from standing on this stupid seat for so long. Why are we standing on the seats?"</p><p>Robin sighed. "Fine, yes--just go."</p><p>Emori hopped down off the seat, a small sting of pain going through her feet as she hit the ground. She pushed the door open, scowling at Arsenal as she stared at the others.</p><p>"You're in the wrong mode," Robin pointed out.</p><p>"Dude," Bart said, jabbing his thumb towards himself, "I crash all modes."</p><p>"Stealth mode,<em> hermano.</em>"</p><p>Emori held her fingers to the bridge of her nose as Bart tried to find the place to press to turn into stealth mode.</p><p>Jaime quickly elbowed him in the side and Bart flinched. "Thanks."</p><p>"Follow the plan," Robin said, "and don't do anything stupid."</p><p>Emori gave a thumbs up. "Got it, Boss."</p><p>They left the bathroom and huddled behind one of the floor-to-ceiling row of plants, crowded around Robin, who had the holographic computer coming from his glove. Emori tried to understand it, but miserably failed. She wasn't the best reader, most of the time everything seemed to jumble in her head, and with the added technological words? None of it made any sense to her.</p><p>"Got it," Arsenal said, seeming to understand it perfectly. Silently, he notched arrows onto the small crossbow his mechanical arm had made, and fired towards several cameras in the room. Each sparked for a millisecond before he nodded faintly as a signal.</p><p>With one flick of Robin's fingers, the team moved forward in unison, Emori disappearing into thin air as she grabbed onto Bart's shoulder. Not even two seconds later, he sped to a stop at a hatch door, and one after the other, they all dropped down into it. The idea of being underground like that made Emori's stomach churn, but she pushed it down and jumped down anyway.</p><p>Robin pointed his thumb behind himself, eyes trained on three guards blocking the opposite direction, and they soundlessly ran the other way. They passed dozens of doors, all shut, and even though she wanted to desperately look inside and see what they were hiding, she didn't. They were here to investigate the food and drinks, and only that.</p><p>They came to a stop in a large, slightly open room, hidden behind thick tubes that carried some form of bright pink liquid. Several Reach stood yards away from them, talking in an alien language as they worked. Hearing it made her squirm, and for a brief moment, she thought about running away. She didn't, though.</p><p>"What's she saying?" Robin whispered.</p><p>"Okay, uh, she's warning her technicians to go easy on the additive," Jaime explained hesitantly, just as confused as they were. "Just a sec." The eyes of Jaime's suit glowed orange as he looked around the room, doing what Emori assumed was scanning for the additive. "That's it," he said, nodding towards a large metal bin, "that's your additive." </p><p>Jaime turned, his eyes widening as he noticed the absence of Robin, which Emori hadn't noticed, either. "Where did he--"</p><p>"<em>Shh,</em>" Arsenal hissed softly, seeming much calmer than she'd seen him the entire day. Missions calmed him, and Emori suddenly hated him a fraction less. She understood how it felt, for your mind to only calm down when your knuckles were bloody and your lungs felt like they would burst.</p><p>She winced as she watched Robin appear from behind the bin and snatch one of the small pink crystals. He was smart, smooth, but <em>still</em>. That could have gone wrong several ways, one of them being that he didn't tell them before he left.</p><p>Emori bit her lip as she remembered what her father always said. "The bats," he'd say, usually after a fight, "we're not exactly the best team players." He always reminded her that even if he never met Batman, or half of the 'bats,' she was still one of them. That's what Dick said, too.</p><p>It felt strange, to call herself one. They were infamous in her time, and by the day they left for the past, there was only one left: Batman's son, Damian Wayne. One of the last free people on earth, the bane of The Reach's existence. Everyone thought that he'd carry on his father's legacy and try to break everyone free from the camps, but Emori thought he was dead. </p><p>So much for the "bat legacy."</p><p>Robin appeared beside them, snapping Emori out of her train of thought. "Got what we came for, let's go."</p><p>Emori grabbed onto Bart's shoulder, her fingers gripping his shoulder tightly as he sped in the direction they came from. Two days before, he told her that the only time he knew she was truly there when she was invisible was when she latched onto his use of the speed-force, because then he could feel when she held onto him. </p><p>She pushed the thought out of her mind, deciding that she'd deal with what it meant later--which she'd been saying for two days--and focused on climbing the ladder up the hatch.</p><p>Her foot slipped through the bar entirely once, but she made it to the top despite it, and hurried after the team. They were huddled behind one of the rows of plants, trying to hide from the sight of two guards guarding the exit door.</p><p><em>Great,</em> just what they needed.</p><p>"Two guards, one door hack, and we're home free," Robin sighed.</p><p>Emori nodded. "Alright, I'll--"</p><p>She ducked, folding in on herself as the hatch door only a dozen yards from them exploded. Her heart pounded against her chest, her mind immediately going to the worst: she'd get caught by The Reach, again, and this time there wouldn't be an escape.</p><p>"You blew the lab?" Robin whispered in shock. "But this was a covert op! What were you thinking?"</p><p>"That I'm not about to let Lex Luthor and his alien space buddies poison the world just because we don't know exactly what poison they're using," Arsenal said, zero remorse in his voice. "Plus, I enjoy making Lex miserable."</p><p>Emori shook with anger. "When we get out of here, I'm going to murder you."</p><p>Arsenal smiled darkly. "Promise?"</p><p>"Look," she hissed, "I get you're mad at Lex Luthor, he stole half of your life and gave it to someone else but forget it! You don't see me trying to ruin every Reach's life, do you? It's called <em>maturity!</em>"</p><p>"Says the one who won't even tell us who she is. Is Emori even your real name?"</p><p>"You two, shut the hell up!" Robin said over the blaring alarm. "We don't have time for this!"</p><p>"I think we--"</p><p>Emori materialized for a brief second, kicked Arsenal square in the spine, and disappeared again. </p><p>Bart huffed and ran forward in a blur, colliding into both guards, and Emori watched in awe for a brief second before she realized <em>right, about to die. </em>"All clear!"</p><p>They hurried towards the door, Robin immediately beginning to type against the keypad. Hacking, probably. Emori wasn't sure how it worked.</p><p>"You just don't get it, do you?" Robin said. "You went off mission. That was a <em>huge</em> mistake."</p><p>"Funny, I was about to say the same thing."</p><p>Emori's eyes widened and she turned just in time to see Black Beetle land a mere foot from her. She braced herself, before she realized that she was invisible, nothing could touch her.</p><p>"Arsenal!" she yelled. "Give me one of your guns!"</p><p>He rolled to avoid a piece of debris thrown at him. "What? Why would I do that!"</p><p>"Just do it, asshole!"</p><p>A gun slid across the ground and she appeared, grabbed it, and aimed square for scarab on his back. She fired, one after the other, just as her dad taught her, and Black Beetle yelled in pain, stumbling forward as the legs of his scarab twitched.</p><p>"Why is there only six bullets?" she yelled.</p><p>"It's a regular gun! It only has six!"</p><p>She groaned and disappeared as she rolled under Black Beetle's outstretched arm. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what to do. What could she do? She didn't stand a chance against a giant, scarab-powered being. All she could do was play a game of keep away for several hours, which wasn't something to be proud about.</p><p>Bart blurred past, and Emori slapped a hand over her mouth to cover her gasp as Black Beetle's fist hit him square in the chest and sent him flying into a stand of tomatoes.</p><p>"I may not move as fast as you, meat," Black Beetle said, walking towards Bart, "but my scarab processes faster than even you can run. Let alone think."</p><p>"Over here, dickhead!"</p><p>Arsenal sent an exasperated look in her general direction and she shrugged. "I had to say something to get his attention!"</p><p>Tomatoes crashed into the back of Black Beetle and he turned, mild interest splaying across his face as he looked at Bart. "Now, that's just a waste of good fruit."</p><p>Arsenal locked his arm into place, a few beeps erupting from it as the red lights began to glow dully.</p><p>"No," Bart said with his stupid grin, "that's just a distraction!"</p><p>What Emori <em>assumed</em> was a laser beam fired from Arsenal's hand, streaking across Black Beetle's armor and revealing a sliver of skin for a brief moment. Emori's eyes widened and she unhooked a knife from Arsenal's ankle-holster, ignoring his protests as she threw it forward, praying it would hit home.</p><p>Black Beetle let out a yell of pain, stumbling a few steps as he gripped the grip of the blade, face twisted in anger as he pulled it out and discarded it onto the floor.</p><p>"Shit," Emori whispered, disappearing into thin air as Black Beetle barreled forward with vengeance. </p><p>Jaime appeared overhead and aimed one of his cannons at Black Beetle, a clean beam of plasma shooting straight toward him. Once the light vanished, the redness left Black Beetle's scarab and he smiled darkly. "Ah . . . nothing like a nice, warm plasma bath to calm the nerves . . . and clean off the tomato stains."</p><p><em>Great,</em> it was nearly impossible to make a dent. If only she had a version of Arsenal's arm, but no, it had to be attached to him.</p><p>Jaime shot out his arm, a ring of energy firing from his cannon, meeting a matching one of Black Beetle's directly between them. It built for a small moment before exploding outward, making the plants rustle in their rows.</p><p>"Seriously?" Black Beetle scoffed. "The fruit hurt more."</p><p>Bart sped forward, before Emori could even try to stop him, and created a vortex around Black Beetle--which Emori knew wouldn't do a single thing. Beetles didn't breathe air.</p><p>"Trying to suck away my oxygen?" Black Beetle said. "I hardly touch the stuff."</p><p>This was going to go bad, she had to think quickly. Arsenal couldn't fire another laser, Bart was in the way. Jaime wouldn't fight him, at least not in a way that would do any damage, because he was scared of his scarab taking over.</p><p>Which left zero options that would do any damage. Perfect.</p><p>"Blue, what gives?" Robin yelled. "Last time you threw down with this guy you were hardcore!"</p><p>"That wasn't me!" Jaime defended. "Scarab was in control!"</p><p>"So give it control again!" Emori and Arsenal yelled in unison.</p><p>"Believe me, I'd like nothing better," Jaime said, eyes fixed on Black Beetle. "But I can't risk that. Not with Impulse's prophecy hanging over my head."</p><p>Emori gasped as a staple hooked around Bart and sent him flying into the wall, crumbling against it limply.</p><p>"As someone who's from the future and really hates you," Emori vouched, "who cares! Just someone do <em>something!</em>"</p><p>"Your laser," Robin suggested to Arsenal. "It's the only thing that's done any damage."</p><p>"Here," Arsenal said, handing a short, tech-filled gun to Emori. "I stole it from Lex, it should have more ammo."</p><p>She blinked in confusion as she reappeared. "Uh, where were you even hiding this?"</p><p>"That--that's not important." He nodded firmly. "Let's do this."</p><p>Emori had a dozen questions, mostly about what the bullets were, and if they'd do any damage, or whether the gun required anything before she shot it, but she kept it to herself as Arsenal's laser shot out of the palm of his hand. She planted her hands firmly on the gun, aimed, and held herself at the ready, waiting for the laser to stop.</p><p>With a hiss, the beam ended, and she didn't waste even a second as she pulled the trigger, aimed directly in the middle of the slice in the scarab's armor. She pulled it again, and, thankfully, it was automatic, and she fired three more until the scarab healed over the wound.</p><p>Black Beetle's face twisted in anger, barely covering up his pain. "You will die for this!"</p><p>"Yeah," she said, handing the gun back to Arsenal, "maybe. But you'll have to catch me first."</p><p>A blast of purple energy burst from Black Beetle's cannon, unlike anything she'd ever seen, and in an instant she disappeared. The energy pulsed through her--and with horror, she realized she could feel it fill her veins until it felt like<em> she </em>would burst. But her skin didn't burn with the feeling of fire, it burned with the feeling of power.</p><p>Emori ducked behind a row of plants as Jaime began to fight with Black Beetle, her mind racing as she looked down to see energy pulsing from her. Just like before, it was a white, nearly translucent glow, flowing in waves, only a few milliseconds of stalling between each.</p><p>"Shit," she whispered as her arm became translucent too. "Shit, shit, <em>shit.</em>"</p><p>This wasn't good. She didn't know what this was, or what it did, or how she managed to absorb it from Black Beetle's cannon, but she knew one thing: it made her visible, which was something she didn't need.</p><p>She leaned against the row of plants, trying desperately to catch her breath, focusing on the diminishing of the halo, just as she taught herself to control her powers. It wasn't working. If anything, it had gotten stronger since she tried to stop it.</p><p>With a startled gasp, she fell through the row of plants and onto her back. <em>They were gone</em>.</p><p>Emori didn't have time to think over the mind-melting thing that just happened because Robin and Bart were calling her, yelling that it was time to go.</p><p>A hole exploded in the wall, and Emori sprinted behind Robin, Arsenal behind her as they exited the dome. Black Beetle was occupied with a substance that exploded from Arsenal's arrow, something that encased him. It wouldn't hold him for long.</p><p>Bart appeared beside them, his chest moving just slightly too-fast as he breathed. "Did a quick recon. Want the options?" He shrugged. "Cornfield, or cornfield?"</p><p>"Cornfield," Robin decided, and they sprinted after him into one of them. As they ran, Emori noticed that several stalks disappeared when she brushed up against them, creating small holes in the field.</p><p>"I know you could fly outta here," Bart said as they ran.</p><p>"And you could run about a thousand miles before Black Beetle could blink," Jaime pointed out from beside Emori. "If I took Arsenal, could you carry Robin while Hood does her thing?"</p><p>"Sorry," Bart apologized, "fast, not strong."</p><p>"Well, Alpha never leaves a man behind."</p><p>Emori certainly would if Black Beetle was involved. He scared her past the point of death.</p><p>They reached the end of the cornfield and Emori held herself defensively, praying to a god she didn't believe in that the halo would stop.</p><p>"We'll double back," Robin said, "maybe lose him."</p><p>"That doesn't seem likely."</p><p>Emori grimaced as Black Beetle landed not even two yards from them. This wasn't going to end well. Maybe they could distract him and get away? Call in help? Dick was always available, he never slept. Or maybe she could figure out how to use this halo and turn them invisible. Unlikely, but worth a shot.</p><p>Jaime let out a startled gasp and Emori turned to see another Beetle standing there. She didn't recognize this one, nor had she ever heard of it. He was skinny to the point of angular, and a deep forest green that made Emori feel strangely calm by looking at him.</p><p>"How many colors do these guys come in, anyway?" Bart groaned.</p><p>"Form up," Robin ordered, "if we go down, we go down fighting."</p><p>"Great," Emori sighed as Robin's back nearly touched hers. "Just like the apocalypse, this time with a Green Beetle! Can't wait."</p><p>Green Beetle's arm formed into a sword, and Emori braced herself as he lunged forward, expecting to feel blood splattered onto her skin--but he lept over them cleanly and landed with a blow to Black Beetle. He pivoted off of the larger one, sending him sliding against the dirt, a plume of dirt forming as Black Beetle burst out of it.</p><p>A rock flew into the air from in front of Green Beetle and Black Beetle narrowly avoided it before their swords clashed, the two struggling to maintain their own ground.</p><p>"Warrior," Black Beetle said, "you dare attack me? You scarab rejects are coming out of the woodwork tonight."</p><p>"Better to be a reject than a slave."</p><p>Emori's eyes widened for several reasons. One: just by hearing his voice, she could tell that Green Beetle was Martian, he sounded exactly like Martian Manhunter. Two: he was fighting Black Beetle, which she still couldn't understand. Three: the halo had stopped, but now she was visible against her own choice.</p><p>"Uh, this guy?" Bart said. "Not in history books."</p><p>"Then who is he?" Jaime questioned. "<em>What </em>is he?"</p><p>As the two's swords clashed once again, Green Beetle's legs shape-shifted into the tail of a large snake and wrapped around the lower half of Black Beetle.</p><p>"Density shifting," Robin noted, "shape shifting, all the powers of a Martian, except--"</p><p>
  <em>Heroes of Earth, I established this link to better coordinate our attack.</em>
</p><p>Emori flinched at the intrusion, every instinct she had screaming to get the Beetle out of her head. They weren't meant to be there, <em>no one</em> was meant to invade her like that.</p><p><em>Telepathy, </em>Robin noticed. <em>That clinches it. This guy's the Blue, uh, Green Beetle of Mars.</em></p><p>"So another alien?" Arsenal voiced. "Do we leave them to fight it out?"</p><p>Energy burst from a cannon on Black Beetle's back, sending Green Beetle flying into a corn field that was set aflame by the blast. Weren't Martians allergic to fire?</p><p><em>Move in,</em> Robin ordered. <em>Blue, frontal assault. Keep Black busy. Impulse, put out the fire. Arsenal, use your laser on that plasma cannon. I want it out of commission.</em></p><p><em>Right,</em> Arsenal agreed, <em>be prepared to move.</em></p><p><em>Hood,</em> Robin nodded, <em>if anything goes wrong, you step in.</em></p><p>She gave firm nod, even though the idea of waiting for something to go wrong made her anxious. She stayed behind, watching from afar as a whirlwind appeared and the fire vanished in less than ten seconds. Jaime fired dozens of staples, making Black Beetle stumble backward as Arsenal beamed a laser at his plasma cannon.</p><p>With a yell of outrage, another formed on his arm and he fired at Arsenal, who narrowly lunged out of the way before it hit the ground. Robin sprinted behind Black Beetle, and Emori saw him throw something onto his shoulder blade--right before Black Beetle was thrown to the ground from an explosion.</p><p>Emori ran forward as Black Beetle stirred, hoping he wouldn't get to his feet in time to see her, and sprinted down the open area where Green Beetle was. She skidded to a stop in front of them as they helped him to his feet.</p><p>With a dark laugh, Black Beetle got to his feet, the scarab healing over his open skin. Emori bit her lip, mentally berating herself for not taking advantage of him while he was down. She let her emotions get ahead of her, like an idiot.</p><p><em>I was kinda hoping that had a more lasting effect, </em>Arsenal stated with a huff.</p><p><em>Your methods are crude, </em>Green Beetle admitted, <em>but you might have the right idea.</em> He looked to the sky where Jaime was. Beetle of Earth, fire your sonic cannon at twenty seven angstroms precisely.</p><p>
  <em>Uh, my scarab's telling me that tactic will be 'ineffectual.' That's a quote, by the way.</em>
</p><p>Despite herself, Emori smiled slightly at the tone he used, before she reprimanded herself. Why was she smiling about the scarab? <em>That</em> was the murderer, not something to humor her. That was the reason everyone she cared about was dead. Anger pooled in her gut at the thought of it, and she forced herself to remain calm as her jaw tightened.</p><p><em>For one scarab the tactic would be ineffectual, </em>Green Beetle said, a cannon forming on his arm. <em>But tonight, it is not alone.</em> He walked forward confidently, as if he believe nothing could stop him. Twenty seven angstroms, now.</p><p>Jaime's sonic blast met Black Beetle and he laughed as he continued to walk forward. "That tickles." Green Beetle's met his armor and Black Beetle groaned in pain, still attempting to walk forward before his armor began to peel away and reveal pale green skin.</p><p>He fell to the ground, limp, and the cannons stopped. He was Reach. Emori didn't know what she expected, but it wasn't that.</p><p><em>Scarab says he won't be unconscious for long, </em>Jaime reported, staring at the defeated form on the ground.</p><p><em>That is true,</em> Green Beetle agreed.</p><p><em>Then what do we do now?</em> Bart asked.</p><p>Now, we run.</p><p>Green Beetle's eyes glowed as he motioned with his arm, Arsenal and Robin flying into the air with him.</p><p>Emori looked at Black Beetle's limp figure, a hollow feeling in her chest as she stepped toward the crater.</p><p>"Hood," Bart whispered, "don't do it. Remember what you said?"</p><p>"He's evil," she said, hating the way her voice sounded to herself. "He's one of them. I can't just--I can't just let him be free. What if instead of Blue Beetle, it's him this time? What if--what if he kills my dad? And everyone else? I can't--"</p><p>Bart wrapped an arm around her as tears began to fill her eyes, her nails digging into her palms as she stared at Black Beetle, who looked so utterly defenseless that she couldn't stand it. "Emori, remember what you promised? Remember what you promised him?"</p><p>"I promised I wouldn't kill anyone, because he said he didn't want me becoming something I was scared of," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut to stop an oncoming sob.</p><p>"He wouldn't want you to do this, even if it's for him. Don't do it."</p><p>Emori turned, wrapping her arms around Bart as she sobbed into his shoulder. "What--what if this doesn't work? We came back to save everyone, to save our parents, and what if it doesn't even work, and we just ruined everything? What if I left R.A. for nothing?"</p><p>"We can do this. We'll do it together, like we always do. Right?"</p><p>"Right."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Kinda-Sorta Brother</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI HAD HIT A WALL.</b> Not literally, but she guessed that would have been easier. Bart had went ahead with The Team to check out Green Beetle's story at a secure location that morning, one with Miss Martian, and Emori couldn't go. She'd tried to reason with Bart that she had to--that they <em>both</em> had to--but it was no use.</p><p>She had to go shopping, something she had never done in her entire life. It was overwhelming, but that wasn't the worst part. There was so many options. How could she pick between a red shirt and a blue shirt of the exact same kind? How could she know the difference between a push-up, wire, and mesh? How could she pick three pairs of shoes?</p><p>Joan had come with her, insisting that Bart would go with Jay later that week, but Emori couldn't keep wearing the clothes she'd gotten her from Walmart for the rest of her life. Somehow, the worst part was that Joan had no idea about the Reach Apocalypse. She didn't know that in Emori's entire life, she'd had less clothes than the handful Joan bought at the store. Or that every time she saw certain clothes she'd have to take a moment and breathe, because she could only think of the last time she saw that shirt and the blood that stained it.</p><p>"What's your favorite color, honey?"</p><p>Emori stared at the shirts on the table in front of her. "Um . . . red?"</p><p>"What, do favorite colors not exist in the future?" Joan joked as she picked up a red t-shirt.</p><p>"Well, you know, there's just <em>so</em> many to choose from then. There's so many new ones, it's crazy. Everything now seems so dull." </p><p>Actually, everything was colorful, like what Emori imagined a rainbow was. She'd seen pictures before, of the old world, but she didn't realize how colorful everything could be. The sky wasn't always grey and full of ash, the grass was green and unscorched, the water wasn't a murky brown with deathly sharp metal beneath the surface--everything seemed so hopeful just by existing. Emori felt painfully lost in it, while Bart seemed to be acclimating better than she could have ever imagined.</p><p>Despite herself, she bitterly thought that it was because he had family. She stayed with the Garricks, yes, and she cared for them, but they weren't family, not like they were to Bart. The people that Bart had heard about when he was young, the people his father considered family constantly surrounded him like it was nothing. But the people Emori's father considered family? She was just another hero to them, a faceless person amongst the crowd.</p><p>And her father wasn't even himself. With an ache, she once again realized that the father she knew wasn't one that would ever exist in her time. If they succeeded, her father wouldn't exist when she met him again. He wouldn't even know her. Maybe he wouldn't even come back.</p><p>Emori shut her eyes tightly and pushed away the thoughts as she turned into the dressing room to change. Joan insisted that everything had to be tried on. The past was confusing. In the future, as long as it fit decently, it was alright. Here, it had to fit perfectly, and you had to like it, or it was worthless.</p><p>Too many rules. Plus, she still didn't like paying for things. If anyone asked, she hadn't stolen anything. But the box under her bed said otherwise. </p><p>Hastily, she changed in and out of several pairs of clothes before she stood still in one. A form-fitting long-sleeve shirt, one that Joan said she needed for the winter. Emori bit her lip as she stared at the mirror, unable to stop herself as she continued to memorize everything about herself.</p><p>In the future, she had never been self-conscious, not entirely. There wasn't time for it, and it wasn't common practice. Everyone looked rough, everyone was skinny, there was no room to judge others. But in the past? Everything was different. The other people on the team--ones only a year or two older than her--were much more muscular, and much, much prettier. Joan said that she was fine, there was no harm in being on the skinny side, but Emori knew the truth o the statement. The past liked you to be skinny, but Emori looked scrawny.</p><p>It wasn't her fault. In the future, there was barely enough food to go around, especially after they were caught by The Reach, and then she gave some of hers to Bart. Black Canary had said, once, that eventually once things cooled down that she and Bart would need to have a "checkup" with one of the team's doctors. Emori wasn't sure how she felt about that. What would they say? How was she supposed to know what was normal for a thirteen-year-old? What if how she looked wasn't normal?</p><p>"Emori?" Joan asked, knocking on the stall door. "Is everything okay? Do you need any help?"</p><p>"I-It's fine!" she answered. "Just admiring everything!"</p><p>She heard Joan's light-hearted chuckle and hurried, pushing down the thoughts of what she should look like to hang the clothes back up on their hangers and change into her own clothes.</p><p>When she stepped out, Joan helped with half the stack of clothes, carrying some in her own arms. "Did they fit?"</p><p>"Some did," Emori answered, "most were too big. But, really, it's not necessary. I don't need this much."</p><p>"Of course you do," Joan said. "None of us know how long you're going to be here, and however long that is, you deserve some nice clothes. Ones that you like." She paused for a brief moment before she continued walking. "I have a question, if you don't mind answering it."</p><p>"Um, of course?"</p><p>"What are your intentions with Bart?"</p><p>Emori's eyes widened. "<em>Intentions?</em>"</p><p>"I don't mean it in a bad way," Joan tried to reason, "all I mean is that you two are close. I don't know why, but you two are closer than anyone I've ever seen. And it seems like you two are a bit too close."</p><p>Emori gasped softly. "Oh my god--no! We're not--we'd never date! Bart's practically my brother!"</p><p>Joan didn't seem too convinced. "Alright. Just know that that boy cares about you a lot, and I'd hate to see him get hurt."</p><p>Wait, when did this turn into an interrogation?</p><p>"I'd never do anything to hurt Bart," Emori said. "If I did, I think I'd die on the spot."</p><p>"Well, just remember that you're both young. Don't get too far in over your own head."</p><p>What the hell did <em>that</em> mean?</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Gang's All Here</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>IT HAD BEEN OVER A MONTH SINCE EMORI'S LAST MISSION, AND SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS GOING TO LOSE HER MIND. </b>Staying at the Garrick's was nice, she got to experience leisure time she had never witnessed before. But it was maddening, because Bart got to join-in on the interrogation of Green Beetle (which went well, he was who he said he was, but Emori still didn't like him. On top of that, he went to Rhelasia to save the tsunami survivors with his grandpa, and she couldn't go because all she could do was turn invisible, which was no good, and it left her at the Garrick's for over a month.</p><p>It was insane. How come everyone else got cool things to do? Jaime got to deal with "The Runaways," the group they'd rescued from The Reach that included his friend Tye. All Emori got was weird late night talk shows and dozens of fresh-baked cookies with marshmallows (the last part wasn't that bad, she actually enjoyed that). Bart wasn't always gone, he was at the Garrick's most of the time, and most of that time was spent with Emori, but she still felt left out.</p><p>Everyone else had cool powers, or like the Bats, they were skilled at combat. Emori was good, but her teachings were limited when anything deemed vigilante-like ended with an execution. Her powers were limited, they had their flaws, and now there was a new one she couldn't begin to understand. She'd give anything to be normal like everyone else. For once, she just wanted to fit in with the past.</p><p>But that all stopped here. She'd finally gotten a mission, as had the entire team. Finally, she had something big, something legendary, something that would change the future. Possibly, she didn't remember anyone talking about this, but it seemed important.</p><p>The Warworld, controlled by an alien named Mongul, was headed towards Earth. Green Beetle knew what it was, and Nightwing had given a quick rundown of the situation. Mongul was banished from his home planet, and like a psychopathic child, he vowed to take over the entire universe before finally reclaiming his home. Emori thought it was stupid, but he controlled a giant ship slightly smaller than the moon, she was in no place to judge.</p><p>Whether Mongul wanted them or The Reach was unclear, but it didn't matter. Even after Captain Atom attempted to make contact from outside the Warworld peacefully, Mongul still fired upon them, making his stance clear.</p><p>That left three teams to sneak in through a docking bay on the Bioship. Alpha Squad: Superboy, Arsenal, Cassie, and Superboy's pet wolf, who were going to take down Mongul and hopefully subdue him. Beta Squad: Jaime, Beast Boy, Bart, and herself, who were going to the key chamber to take a "crystal key" that powered the ship. Delta Squad: Batgirl and Robin, who were in the Bioship trying to help the people outside the Warworld fend off the beams. Lastly, Gamma Squad: Bumblebee and Guardian (who hadn't existed that long before, apparently, he was new), to disable the Warworld's power core, which Emori guessed was its version of an engine.</p><p>Fool proof plan, except everything managed to go wrong, and as Emori ran quickly beside Bart, she had a feeling something would go wrong. She was a Todd, everything went wrong for them no matter how far ahead they planned.</p><p>She sucked in a breathe as a tram-like car zoomed overhead in the hallway they were in, coming to a stop several yards ahead of them. She knew nothing good was inside, but she hoped it wasn't that bad.</p><p>"Nowhere to hide," Jaime whispered.</p><p>"Wow," she mumbled, "you sure are a genius."</p><p>The doors of the tram burst open and red diamond-shaped machines flew out, as large as Emori's head, firing beams of yellow energy skillfully towards them.</p><p>Quickly, she rolled out of the way, dodging a beam of energy as her shoulder rammed into the wall. She grunted and with what she hoped was a tall leap, pivoted off of the wall and just barely grabbed the thin line of purchase between the two prisms of the machine and yanked it down, hard. It collided into the ground and broke apart with a fizzling spark, pathetic compared to the strong beams only moments before.</p><p>Jaime's cannon pulsed with energy as several machines blew, their parts falling to the ground in an array of sparks and machine oil.</p><p>A beam shot her way and she disappeared, only to reappear and kick it square in the front. The diamond only shuddered as her foot ached, and with a lump in her throat, she rolled out of the way once again and narrowly avoided another white-hot energy beam.</p><p>Bart sped past her, bouncing off the walls to collide into the machines and send debris flying across the hall. Narrowly, Emori flung herself to avoid the prisms as she did her best to bring them down, slamming her shoulders into them to send them into the walls.</p><p>"Beetle to Watchtower," Jaime said in the comm, "we've been spotted! The Warworld knows we're here."</p><p>"Fine with me," Mal said as Emori ducked under a beam of energy, "I like the attention."</p><p>She winced, thankful that the comm was activated by a touch of the ear, because Mal and Karen arguing while she was seconds away from getting her hair burned off? Not something she was looking forward to.</p><p>Bart ran past her and she latched on, flipping over his head to reappear, kick a prism into a wall, and back flip into an easy kneeling position. She might not be from a line of acrobats, but her uncle was the best there was.</p><p>"How many of these things are there?" Bart groaned as he smashed one against the ground. "This is taking forever!"</p><p>"All of you can just fly and zip around!" Emori huffed as she disappeared when a beam went through her. "As someone who has zero abilities other than doing 'this,' I'm pissed!"</p><p>The familiarity of anger that always seemed to rise in her appeared, pushing her forward as she plunged her fist through a prism and reappeared, ripping the center of it out. For a brief moment, the fact that she'd done it astounded her, but the excitement was washed away as Beast Boy narrowly flew over head, his talons scraping across the top of her hair that was exposed from her fallen hood.</p><p>How did her father do it when he wore it? It fell off all the time, it was hot, and it did nothing but make her look cool. It was awesome.</p><p>Emori flicked her hood over her head as Jaime burst the last prism with an energy pulse. "Come on," he said, "the key should be close."</p><p>Wordlessly, the three of them moved forward, armed with the speed of thrusters, superspeed, and a falcon's flight. Emori huffed as she scrambled to grab onto Bart, the all-too-familiar feeling like she was getting sucked into a vortex hitting her square in the face. She was anxious, because even though she knew this wasn't The Reach, it didn't ease her mind. This was all so sudden, so forceful--whose to say an attack by The Reach wasn't next? </p><p>Bart came to a stop as they entered a vast room, punching a stray prism that they had managed to miss as Emori appeared beside him.</p><p>"Beta to Watchtower," Jaime said, "we're in. And there it is."</p><p>The room glowed faintly by the orange machines around them, and Emori struggled to figure out what they were. She wasn't quite sure, but she knew in the middle of the room, up the ramp, was the "crystal key" that powered the ship. It looked . . . disappointing, she expected something more exciting, like a skeleton key, or some magic book. Another diamond-shaped object was a major letdown. </p><p>Just as Emori went to take a step forward, dozens of prisms poured out of small openings on the wall, making her eyes go wide.</p><p>"Uh," Jaime said as he pulled his cannon out, "this could take a while."</p><p>She frowned as they all ran in separate directions. Great, she was left by herself, armed with nothing but her ability to be invisible and an incredibly low amount of strength. Just the odds she wanted.</p><p>Emori ran forward into the swarm coming toward her--dozens, at least--and felt something swell in her chest as tears pricked her eyes. Her father had died like this, though his was much, much braver. Running into battle against dozens of enemies, except he knew he wouldn't make it out alive, and that there was no way he would come back for a second time.</p><p>As the memory of her father's screams as the plasma blast ripped him apart reached her mind, she felt the feeling in her chest burst like a balloon, flowing out through her skin in a rush of too many emotions to count.</p><p>She let out a scream, one that scraped the back of her throat, and a halo erupted around her. It widened, blindingly white, as it hit the prisms. She watched in shock as they disappeared for a brief moment before appearing again, all falling towards the ground, helplessly destroyed.</p><p>Emori curled in on herself as several pelted down onto her, her eyes squeezed shut as her mind raced. What had happened? How did she make them disappear? And why were they destroyed when they appeared again?</p><p> For a moment, she stood there, eyes shut tightly despite her mind insisting that she had to move, that at any moment she could get shot by a beam, unable to protect herself. But she felt like she couldn't. Whatever had happened exhausted her, and she did her best to convince herself that it was because of her powers and not what she'd involuntarily remembered.</p><p>"Hood?" came Bart's voice. "You okay?"</p><p>She stood, forcing herself to look fine. "Yeah, are you? It looks like you--like you took out all the machines."</p><p>"Yeah, we did," he said, unconvinced. His pointed look made it clear what he thought: <em>are we just not going to talk about it?</em></p><p>"It was nothing," she insisted. "It just--I don't know what I did, alright? Is that what you wanna hear?"</p><p>"No, I just want to know that you're okay."</p><p>Emori blinked, shocked, before she did her best to quickly recover. "I'm fine, I'll figure all this out eventually. But it worked, didn't it? Took thirty of them out in, like, ten seconds."</p><p>"Yeah, it did."</p><p>Thankfully, Beast Boy and Jaime jogged over to break the tension, crystal key in hand. Jaime gave them a thumbs up. "See? Told you guys we could do it."</p><p>"Uh, <em>actually,</em>" Bart said, "that was me. You were the one who said this was gonna crash and burn worse than the last one."</p><p>Jaime frowned. "Okay, maybe. But we did it?"</p><p>She smiled slightly. "Yeah, we did, didn't we?"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>"OH, DO WE</b></em> rock?" Batgirl called out.</p><p>Karen smiled from when she sat on Sphere. "Girl, we rock!"</p><p>"Was there ever any doubt?"</p><p>"None here," Mal agreed. "Hey, where's Alpha?"</p><p>"Trudging along with the big bad, who must weight like a metric ton," Arsenal huffed. "We're just a couple minutes out."</p><p>Mal turned to Karen, and by the look on his face, Emori quickly turned to the others--Jaime, Bart, Robin, and Batgirl--and Beast Boy quickly scampered over. "They're about to make out," Emori winced, "and I, for one, am tired of watching them do that. It's cute, but I saw too much of it on the Bioship."</p><p>"Amen," Batgirl sighed, "I'm glad that patched everything up, but I spent months watching Artemis and Kid Flash do it, I don't wanna do it again."</p><p>It was a bit tense, because Batgirl mentioned Artemis, who had <em>died</em>. Emori didn't know her, and she never met that Artemis in the future, but Dick mentioned her sometimes. She liked to think that her and Bart coming back hadn't caused Artemis' death and Wally's grief, but she wasn't so sure. Artemis didn't die that quick in their timeline. Why did she die in this one?</p><p>"Wow," Arsenal said, breaking the silence, "how do I get that reward?"</p><p>Karen and Mal quickly broke apart, seeming embarrassed someone had caught them, as if they weren't standing five feet away from a bunch of teenagers.</p><p>Cassie smiled as she walked by holding Mongul, giving Arsenal a quick kiss on the cheek as she passed. His eyes went wide and he mumbled to himself, which Emori thought was almost funny, because he always seemed to brood.</p><p>"Well," Jaime said, "the gang's all here."</p><p>Emori let out a scream of horror as Jaime brought the crystal key down on the back of Bart's head. She quickly disappeared as she fell to her knees beside him, eyes wide and fearful. She couldn't do this, not yet, it was too soon, <em>it wasn't supposed to happen like this</em>--</p><p>Jaime flew over her and she ducked down despite the fact that she was invisible, her heart beating a million miles an hour in her chest as tears stung her eyes. It was happening. Jaime was gone, and now there was Blue Beetle, the person who would go on to murder her father, and she hadn't stopped it.</p><p>She let Jaime become the thing that terrified him--the thing that terrified <em>her</em>.</p><p>There was nothing she could do, she was paralyzed with fear as The Team attempted to fight off Blue Beetle. But she knew it was impossible. There was nothing any of them could do to stop him.</p><p>"Arsenal, no!"</p><p>At Karen's sharp cry, Emori lifted her head right as he pressed the keypad to open the doors. An alarm blared as the doors opened, sucking out Sphere as she desperately gasped for air. Arsenal struggled past her, slipping and slamming his face into the concrete, and Emori closed her eyes so tight that the tears could barely slip past.</p><p>"Don't waste the oxygen, hermano," Blue Beetle said to a startled Superboy, "there's very little left in here."</p><p>Arsenal put a device over his mouth and began to breathe easily as he fired a grappling hook to one of the rafters. Emori watched, unable to move, as Superboy jumped in front of Blue Beetle's staple gun and got thrown to the floor.</p><p>Her nail insistently scratched at the metal flooring, her hand shaking in fear as Blue Beetle began to move again. Her finger began to bleed, but she ignored it and continued.</p><p>She saw Arsenal drop down and run into the adjacent hallway, and as Blue Beetle moved forward to finish the job, Emori finally forced herself to move and sprinted after Arsenal, terrified of what lay behind her.</p><p>Hopefully, Nightwing would understand her message. A large e, and a small 'vil.' Evil, from Emori.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. You Kinda Suck But Ok</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI'S LUNGS BURNED AS SHE PUSHED HERSELF FORWARD, THE BEAMS FROM THE REACH WARRIOR'S WEAPONS GOING STRAIGHT THROUGH HER.</b> She and Arsenal ran forward, ducking behind a circular cement wall for cover. It had been what she could only guess was days, days full of her worst fears come to life.</p><p>She just wanted it to be over.</p><p>"Arsenal to Watchtower," he hurriedly said into his robotic arm, "come in. Code red, code red." Arsenal's lips pressed into a thin line. "Alright, Hood. We do this together?"</p><p>"Together."</p><p>He threw a smoke bomb overhead to hit the warriors, knocking them off their feet, and they both knew it would only hold for a thirty seconds, at most.</p><p>"C'mon, let's go."</p><p>Emori reappeared, allowing Arsenal to wrap one arm around her firmly as he fired a grappling hook from his hand, the two of them landing in a firm run on the platform above as the warriors fired on them.</p><p>"Arsenal to Watchtower," he desperately tried, "come in Justice League. Arsenal to anyone--come in!"</p><p>"They're not gonna answer!" Emori yelled. "We're on our own! It's just us, you need to accept that, it's the fucking truth!"</p><p>"I'm not getting taken again!"</p><p>"And you think I want to?" she screamed, barely able to talk over her gasps for breath as she ran. "I spent my entire life running from The Reach, and I came back to stop it, and all it's been so far is doing the same fucking thing! I'm tired of it! But it's all we can do, dammit, you run until they catch you, and you die or work. That's how this works!"</p><p>"And you're just going to let it happen? You're okay with that?"</p><p>"I ran for nine years, but they still got me and killed everyone! So, yeah, I've kinda accepted that that's how it works!"</p><p>Arsenal stopped suddenly, slipping and barely catching himself on a podium with a keypad on top. "Hood, I have no idea what the future was like, but here, we fight until we die."</p><p>Anger boiled in her chest. "Are you--are you fucking kidding me? I just explained that's what happened! You either get caught, fight and die, or die later! We stand no chance!"</p><p>"Then let's fight," he said, attempting to type something into the keypad, "because that's all I'm good at."</p><p>"What are you gonna do? Fight an entire Reach army?"</p><p>"Probably get shot in the chest, but yeah."</p><p>She groaned and kicked the wall, the pain radiating from her toes grounding her to reality for a few brief moments. She was royally screwed. This time, there wasn't anyone to help her, no one to guide her through. She almost laughed at how ironic it was, that everyone important to her died besides R.A. and Bart, but then she came back, and she had to be near some of them and not say a single word.</p><p>"Come on, you dumb machine!" Arsenal yelled, banging his hands down onto the keypad. "Give me a line to the Watchtower, the warehouse, anywhere!"</p><p>Emori's head snapped up as a door down the hall slid open and two Reach warriors walked out.</p><p>"Great," he sighed, "and me basically out of ammo."</p><p>"I got it, just stay out of the way!"</p><p>Emori disappeared and ran forward, running directly through the warriors to appear behind them as they fired towards Arsenal, who hid behind the podium. Rage bubbled up in her involuntarily, the will to do something <em>more</em> to them so strong, as if this would somehow bring back all the dead.</p><p>She kicked both of their knees in quickly, making the two fall to their knees. In two rapid movements, she kicked in an arc to the back of their heads and they smacked into the floor, a crack erupting from one of them when their face made contact with the metal.</p><p>For good measure, Emori jumped on one of their backs as she made her way back to Arsenal, who no longer had a podium to hide behind. "Where'd your thing go?"</p><p>"It got angry and hid." He looked at his arm and once again, his lips pressed into that frustrated thin line. R.A. always did that. "I'm at zero."</p><p>With a huff, Emori took the two spear-like weapons from the warriors and threw one toward him, which he easily caught. "We need to find somewhere to recharge your arm, it's the best weapon we have."</p><p>"What? Do you have an arm battery pack or something?"</p><p>"Nope." She smiled, and she hoped it didn't come off as tired as it felt. "But if they have these, they have to recharge them somehow. And I bet there's one somewhere around here."</p><p>"Huh, maybe you aren't that dumb after all."</p><p>She frowned. "So maybe I didn't go to school, but I had some kickass teachers for survival skills. It basically makes up for it."</p><p>"Do you even know how to multiply?" he said with a smirk.</p><p>"I--that's not important!"</p><p>"Sure, sure it isn't."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>THEY HAD FINALLY</em></b> found a place to charge Arsenal's arm after several run-ins with warriors and what she assumed was a few hours. He said it would only take a few minutes to fully charge, and she hoped it was right, because they couldn't stay in one place for too long.</p><p>Emori would give anything to take a nap. However long it had been, none of it had been spent sleeping, and she desperately wanted to gain that time back. She liked many things, and at the top of that list was sleeping. Or maybe marshmallows. Or Bart. No, all three tied for top place, she couldn't pick one.</p><p>She looked at the spear in her hand, the one that had a small dash of Reach blood across it, and she saw her eyes reflecting back at her. That was the one thing of her dad she could never lose. His eyes had been blue, before he died, but once he returned they were a bright, fascinating green, the same shade as the Lazarus Pit.</p><p>He hadn't liked the change, R.A. explained it to her when she was old enough to understand. Every time he looked in the mirror, he saw the Lazarus Pit instead of himself, his worst fear come to life. Emori had never seen it, so every time she saw her eyes, she thought of her father. He wasn't her worst fear, but it was hard to remember him, because eventually, the painful memories always took center stage.</p><p>"You okay?" Arsenal asked. "Is it that gash?"</p><p>Emori looked down at her arm, the one that had a piece of her hood wrapped around it to cover the wound. "Oh, that. Yeah, I'm fine, it doesn't hurt that much anymore."</p><p>It did, but she had had a lot worse.</p><p>"Oh. It just looked like someone stabbed you."</p><p>She laughed, a small, quick spurt of breath. "Wow, great analogy, Arsenal. Just say what you wanna say."</p><p>"We're stuck together, and chances are we're either going to die or get taken wherever they did. Might as well let everything air out."</p><p>"Oh, cool. Well, I think you're an asshole."</p><p>"That's not what I meant." Arsenal took the cord out of his arm and flicked it to the ground. "If we're going to die, at least get everything off your chest."</p><p>They were probably going to die, it had been days, there was zero contact with the League or anyone else, they hadn't eaten, they hadn't slept, and they had been running from Reach warriors the entire time. They were as good as dead by this point, they both knew it, and they both knew that they'd keep up this torturous game of keep-away until that happened.</p><p>"The Reach killed my dad," she said, picking at the skin beside her nail until it began to bleed. "Actually, Blue Beetle did. And everyone else that was important to me, except for, like, two people. My life fucking sucked, and I thought coming to the past might change some things, maybe save them and give them a better life, but it's just made everything worse. It's like--I can't escape it, I've gotten tortured by The Reach for an entire week, and then they gave me some new kinda power, and now I'm being hunted with them! This sucks, and I don't know how to make it stop! I just wanna go to sleep and never wake up."</p><p>"I'm not good at advice," Arsenal said, "so I'm not going to give any. I'm not the poster child for dealing with your problems. But whatever happens, just don't give up. Or at least that's what someone told me."</p><p>Brave Bow told him. Emori wanted to comfort him, because it was clear that saying it wounded him, but she didn't know how. She only knew who it was because of R.A., Arsenal's<em> clone</em>. She couldn't exactly say she knew what he was talking about because his clone told her.</p><p>"I'm doing this for my dad, and my uncles," she sighed, "and a mom I've never even met, but how do you know if you're doing it right? I've never--I'm not cut out to be a hero, not like you are."</p><p>"I tried to murder Lex Luthor a few weeks ago," Arsenal said, "I'm not exactly hero material. I don't think I ever was."</p><p>"You are," Emori assured him, giving a small kick to his ankle. "People called you Robin Hood in the future, it was pretty crash."</p><p>"Robin Hood? Like the cartoon?"</p><p>"I don't know, I didn't have TV's. I just know he had a bow and arrow and gave poor people money."</p><p>Shots rang out nearby, followed by crashing, and the two immediately tensed.</p><p>"Do you think it's The Team?" Emori whispered. "Maybe Nightwing's finally here."</p><p>"Maybe."</p><p>With that, they took off running in the directions of the commotion, Emori invisible alongside him. Arsenal was faster than her, both in stride and speed, and she had to struggle to keep up. Her muscles and lungs were beyond shot, but it wasn't as if she had much of a choice.</p><p>Abruptly, Arsenal stopped, and Emori slipped in her haste to stop, the bottom half of her body dangling over a ledge. She appeared, eyes wide, and Arsenal quickly moved to help her, dragging her by her arms to stand beside him.</p><p>"Thanks," she panted, "that ledge came out of nowhere."</p><p>"Right, because ledges move."</p><p>She rolled her eyes as they moved forward to stand closer to the ledge, out of eyesight, yet close enough to see over. Three teenagers, one on some sort of metal disc with static underneath, another encased in a golden, much larger form--</p><p>"They're the Runaways," Emori whispered, shocked at how quickly they'd learned to use their powers. "Some kids from The Reach ship, the one some of us got tortured on. They escaped from Star Labs, and they've been on the run ever since."</p><p>"Are they a threat?"</p><p>"Uh, I don't think so." She frowned. "Asami and Virgil are nice, we shared a bag of Skittles, and the others aren't that bad. Tye's kinda a dick, but his powers are really cool. But I don't think any of them are murder-type."</p><p>She cringed as Eduardo pushed three Reach warriors off the catwalk. "Okay, so maybe a little bit, but they wouldn't kill us, not with me there. Virgil thinks I'm part of the Justice League, we're good."</p><p>"The gold guy," Arsenal said as Tye's form shrunk down to only him, "he's a problem."</p><p>"Tye," Emori clarified, "and, yeah. I don't think we have to worry about them, but if we ever did, Tye would definitely be one to watch out for. And Eduardo, but I don't think he'd ever go that far. And maybe Virgil, if he ever figures out how to amplify his powers."</p><p>"You assessed them?"</p><p>"Well, yeah," she shrugged, blushing slightly. "If I know people's strengths, their danger level, it makes it easier to be around them. I know what could go wrong."</p><p>"That's . . . that's smart."</p><p>"Superboy, please."</p><p>Their conversation ceased at that, Emori's eyes narrowed as she looked at Asami and the object in her hands. She had never seen anything like it. A small box-like machine that made hollow dings as they began to walk the opposite direction.</p><p>"Okay, scratch that," she said with a wince, "maybe they're not that great."</p><p>"You think?"</p><p>He held his non-metal arm out while he pointed his other toward a distant rafter.</p><p>"Arsenal," she said, "you're tired, there's no way you can keep carrying me. I'll find another way."</p><p>"You weigh as much as a toddler, hop on."</p><p>Emori huffed, and with a roll of her eyes, allowed him to wrap an arm around her while she wrapped hers around his neck. She wasn't fond of this, how he'd fire his grappling hook, one shot after the other, and they'd swing through the air like some sad pair of monkeys. She felt like she was going to fall any minute, especially with the spear strapped to her back.</p><p>Her finger--the one she used to carve the message into the floor--ached terribly, the nail ripped off long ago. She had to bite her lip to not make some sort of noise, because if she did, they might draw The Reach, or worse, Black Beetle. They both knew he was here, he was never far behind them.</p><p>"There."</p><p>At that, he stopped, and Emori gasped softly and held onto him tightly as he rolled into an open vent high-up on the wall. She groaned in pain as her head banged into the metal tubing.</p><p>"Really? No warning?"</p><p>"What did you want me to say? 'Oh, look, a vent?'"</p><p>"Yeah, that would've been nice."</p><p>He scoffed as he crawled forward, and Emori followed, even though she didn't know why he'd gone in. "The Runaways, they're down the hall. The gold guy--the heavy-hitter--he opened a door. Or ripped it open. But they got in, I think that's where they're keeping everyone."</p><p>"So why are we in the vents if they're in there?"</p><p>"Because we can't walk right in behind them," he said, as if it was obvious (which, it kinda of was, but she was too tired to think). "They're looking for Superboy, so he must be in there, or at least near there. The place will be crawling with guards, and they'll go for them first, giving us time to sneak in and try to get everyone out."</p><p>"And if we don't?"</p><p>"We don't." He sighed. "We're not exactly the people that need to be saving them, but we're all there is. So let's just get this over with."</p><p>He was right. He was a recently-awoken seventeen year old with two clones and a boat-load of issues, including the missing arm and the drive to make Lex Luthor pay. She was a terrified thirteen year old from the future with too much anger, new powers that didn't make any sense, and a secret that could destroy them.</p><p>It was going to be a shit show.</p><p>Arsenal came to a stop, and she heard the sound of something breaking off as he passed a cover to the air vent to her. Wordlessly, she slid it behind her.</p><p>"Black Beetle's here," he whispered, "the gold kid, he's down, and the other two have scattered. Eduardo's not too far from the vents, but Beetle has him cornered. I'm gonna take the shot. Once I jump out, you're going to jump into my arms, we'll hit the ground, I'll shut the door and find a way to free them."</p><p>"Arsenal, wait--"</p><p>Of course, like Arsenal does, he didn't listen, and Emori heard the sound of Black Beetle screaming and him distantly hitting the ground.</p><p>Emori cursed to herself silently as he jumped, and a second later, she jumped after him. A scream caught in her throat as he just-barely grabbed her hand, the grappling hook firing moments later. She gripped his hand tightly, ignoring the pain from her finger and focusing on not plummeting to her death.</p><p>"Roll!"</p><p>She hit the ground, rolling harshly and nearly slipped to her knees as she broke into a run towards Black Beetle while Arsenal dashed for the keypad by the door.</p><p>"Take this, asshole!"</p><p>Emori's arms straightened and she fired, hitting him square in the spot where his scarab was split. One after the other, her lip starting to swell from when her face hit the floor, but the pain in her face was nothing compared to Black Beetle's yells of pain.</p><p>Abruptly, he turned around and blindly fired his staple gun, and Emori screams as it clipped her arm, slicing through the first few layers. She bit her tongue sharply and dove behind one of the tube-like structures, ripping off another piece of her hood frantically as she tied it as a make-shift tourniquet, hard enough that she gasped in pain.</p><p>It was fine, she probably wouldn't die from it, she could keep fighting. A little voice in the back of her head reminded her that she had other wounds that were still bleeding, but she told that voice to shut up.</p><p>She forced herself to her feet, grabbed the spear, and burst around the corner. Virgil was in the air, a ball of static pushing one of the tubes through the air, which Black Beetle easily destroyed with a plasma blast. As Virgil narrowly avoided the blast, Asami jumped from behind, crashing into him and sending him forward, while Tye (in his golden form), quickly brought his fist down on top of him.</p><p>Black Beetle crashed into the grown, sending several tubes down in the process before he hit the ground. Emori's heart felt like it would burst out of her chest, but she ignored it as she planted her feet firmly.</p><p>"I'm starting to get annoyed."</p><p>"Well, there's a lot more where that came from!"</p><p>Emori fired the spear, one shot after the other, until Black Beetle took to the air after her. With wide eyes, she disappeared and ducked behind another tube.</p><p>"You cannot hide forever, child," Black Beetle said, and Emori had to slap a hand over her mouth to keep quiet. "I can do this all day."</p><p>She could do this, she just had to figure out how. Last time, she thought of her dad dying, and Dick's death, and it happened in seconds. She could do that again. Probably.</p><p>Emori focused on the memories, her eyes shut tight as horror curled in her chest. Blue Beetle had killed her father, with one plasma blast, as if he didn't deserve any better. The Food Riot killed Dick. They both died, they died, they died--<em>they left her all alone.</em></p><p>Her eyes snapped open, focusing onto Black Beetle as she stalked forward. Her skin appeared translucent, the white halo surrounding her again, going in rings as she closed in on him.</p><p>"Ah, there you are." Black Beetle smirked and fired with plasma cannon, and Emori's breath caught in her throat as she felt the raw energy be absorbed into her veins. "Impossible."</p><p>"Yeah, it's new." </p><p>She focused her rage toward him, and the halo seemed to obey, stretching outward in a rapid arc of light, enveloping him until nothing could be seen, and in a flash of light, seeming to absorb into him.</p><p>Oh, <em>shit, </em>did she kill him? Killing Black Beetle wouldn't be bad, he was an awful person, but Emori didn't want to kill anyone anymore. She couldn't, she promised R.A. she wouldn't. He'd understand--he might even applaud her for it--but it still felt like betraying him.</p><p>Eduardo appeared beside her in a flash of yellow with wide eyes. "Uh, is he dead?"</p><p>"I-I don't know," she breathed out, her hands starting to shake. "Maybe? I don't know what that power does, I've never done it on anyone!"</p><p>Eduardo quickly teleported directly beside Black Beetle, and as he leaned over, he gave a thumbs up. "He's breathing! Not very well, but he's not dead!"</p><p>"That's a relief." Eduardo appeared beside her again, eyeing her translucent form nervously. "The Team--the guys you met before, back on the Reach ship. Are they here?"</p><p>"They're all here, Arsenal's trying to free them." He looked at the gash on her arm, which was starting to bleed through the fabric. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"It's just a scratch." She winced. "Okay, maybe a bit more, but I'm not gonna die from it."</p><p>Virgil came to a stop beside them, the metal disk in hand, while Asami and Tye ran up beside him. "So," Tye said, "he dead?"</p><p>"He's still alive," Emori said, "unfortunately."</p><p>"How long will he be out?"</p><p>"No clue." She eyed Black Beetle nervously. "But, from experience--witnessing, I'm not that dumb to actually fight one--Beetles heal quickly, their scarab protects most of the injury, then heals it in minutes. We don't have a lot of time."</p><p>Asami nodded in agreement. "Hurry."</p><p>Emori knew she didn't understand most of what she said, but she liked that someone was agreeing with her. "Yep, we gotta go." </p><p>The five of them ran towards Arsenal, who was working on the keypad.</p><p>"How much longer?" Emori asked. "Beetle's down, but I don't know for how long, we need to go. Like, now."</p><p>"This is alien tech, it isn't exactly easy to decode," Arsenal huffed, "but maybe a minute or two, I don't know. If he gets up, keep him down."</p><p>"Easier said than done." Emori leaned up against the wall, a wave of relief going through her body at the ability to relax her muscles even the slightest. "After this is over, I think I'm gonna sleep for a thousand years." She looked toward Eduardo. "What day is it?"</p><p>"May 30th. Why?"</p><p>Emori's eyes widened. "It's been<em> four days?</em> Oh my god."</p><p>"You've been fighting those things for four days?" Virgil asked. "Man, no wonder you look this rough."</p><p>She rolled her eyes. "Thanks."</p><p>"Wait, that's not how I--"</p><p>"You will pay for this!" Emori bristled as Black Beetle flew into the air, her hand immediately going to the spear. "You will all pay for this!"</p><p>His scarab--it looked <em>sick. </em>She knew that wasn't the right way to say it, but that's the only thing she could think of. Its color was less pigmented, the bulk of its muscle gone, but even she knew that didn't mean the weapons were gone.</p><p>"Arsenal!" she yelled. "Hurry!"</p><p>"I'm trying!"</p><p>A tube opened, and Emori pumped her fist as she saw Mongul fall down by Black Beetle. "You genius!"</p><p>"Uh, he got the wrong guy," Eduardo pointed out, "that guy does not look like a good one."</p><p>"He isn't," Emori explained happily as Black Beetle fixed his attention on Mongul, "but they're both enemies."</p><p>"<em>Ohh</em>."</p><p>The doors to the tubes started opening, and as soon as they did, the team fell to their knees inside them, slowly waking up.</p><p>Emori disappeared and ran forward, sliding under Black Beetle as Mongul threw him into a distant wall. She was tired, her entire body ached, but it didn't matter. She knew Bart wasn't dead. That's all she needed.</p><p>"<em>Bart!</em>"</p><p>She appeared, hugging him so forcefully that he nearly fell over and she had to hold him up. "Oh my god," she whispered, "I thought you <em>died</em>. Don't ever do that again." She squeezed him tighter, even if they might be about to die and her body was on fire, it didn't matter. She had him. "Promise me you'll never leave me like that."</p><p>"I-I promise."</p><p>Someone shook them and Emori let out a small scream, only to realize it was Cassie. "Come on, we have to go!"</p><p>"Right," Emori nodded, "we--we have to go. Before they get us."</p><p>Cassie helped Bart along since Emori couldn't carry him at all, and they made their way over to the group that was gathering by the exit doors. Black Beetle and Mongul were still fighting, but none of them knew how long, and she couldn't decide if they or whatever was waiting on the other side of the door was worse.</p><p>Arsenal stood at the keypad, the team's lost weapons in hand. "Get ready, there's a squad of Reach soldiers waiting for us."</p><p>Emori braced herself as the door began to open, her spear pointed toward it and--the warriors were on the ground. Her eyebrows pinched together, unable to come up with an explanation as to why they were all unconscious. </p><p>Dick and Miss Martian appeared with the Super Cycle and Emori felt her heart burst. Finally. She ran forward with Arsenal, the two of them painfully relieved for it to be over.</p><p>"Hey, fearless leader," Arsenal greeted smugly, as if they hadn't almost just died. "Better late than never."</p><p>"Everyone safe?"</p><p>Emori looked back as Arsenal answered, taking in the team who she had started to believe were gone. "For now."</p><p>"The crystal key?"</p><p>"Gone," Emori answered, flinching as she heard Black Beetle and Mongul clash far behind them. "And we gotta go before one of them wins."</p><p>"Right. Move out."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>"I THINK CONGRATULATIONS</em></b> are in order," Dick said as they boarded the Bioship. "No training, no guidance, and yet you managed to pull it off. When we get back, after a debrief, there might be a place for all of you with the team."</p><p>Emori wanted to point out that she and Arsenal survived for four days and did most of the work, but she didn't. The thought of arguing with four teenagers exhausted her.</p><p>"Wow," Virgil gasped, "really?"</p><p>"So now that we saved your butts, you're cool with us not being Star Lab's guinea pigs?" Tye said as he crossed his arms. Virgil slapped him on the arm and silently reprimanded him.</p><p>"Before we head back," Arsenal said, stepping towards Emori and Dick, "we need to talk about Blue Beetle. He betrayed us."</p><p>"Look who's talking!" Karen yelled, her hands on her hips as she began to walk down the ramp. "Last thing I remember is you blowing an airlock without warning. Nearly got us all killed and <em>absolutely</em> guaranteed our capture!"</p><p>"Hey!" he yelled. "After eight years on ice, there's no way I was getting grabbed again. And in case you hadn't noticed, my escape resulted in you being free now to stand here and complain. So how about a thank you?"</p><p>Dick gently touched his shoulder, turning him around to face them. "You're right, Arsenal. Thank you." Emori smiled softly. "And after we get back to Earth, you're off the team."</p><p>Emori's eyes widened. "Nightwing, you can't! You don't understand!"</p><p>"What don't I understand? This is the second time he jeopardized a mission."</p><p>She scoffed angrily. "This is bullshit, and you know it. I left, I didn't try to stop Blue Beetle. Am I off the team too? Huh?"</p><p>"It's not the same thing. You didn't almost kill the team."</p><p>She bit her tongue, her lips pressing together so firmly they turned white. "I can't believe this is who you used to be." </p><p>Dick's face was stone, carved perfectly to show no hurt, but she had known him long enough. She knew that dug into his heart.</p><p>Emori walked away, seething, to find Bart. She just wanted it to be simple, for once. For the universe to take pity on her, just this one time.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Ever Wanted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>"THIS IS BULLSHIT, YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"</b>
</p><p>"It's been hours," Dick said, engrossed in the holographic screens in front of him, "it's final. You can't go with them, your powers are too unstable. We don't know what they do, or if they're able to be controlled by The Reach."</p><p>Emori huffed, her nails digging into her palms. "What the hell! I took down Black Beetle for, like three minutes! I'm the only one who can do that type of damage to them! They need me!"</p><p>"It's final. There's no point in arguing."</p><p>Blood dripped down her wrist from how hard she was clenching her fists. "I can't believe you're doing this. Blue Beetle's a murderer, we need everyone out there! I came back in time to do this, you can't just expect me to sit around and do nothing!"</p><p>"I can, and you will."</p><p>She let out a scream of rage, kicking a nearby metal chair and sending it flying into the wall. It was so stupid! Once he found out that her powers weren't exactly controllable and activated by strong emotions, Dick had been quick to tell her there was "no way in hell" she would be going to free Blue Beetle from The Reach's grip. Because apparently, since Blue Beetle had murdered almost everyone she ever loved, it made her a liability.</p><p>When she heard it in her head, she realized it had a bit of truth to it, but that didn't mean she liked it any more than before. Because Bart was out there, all alone, having to capture Blue Beetle and take him to Bialyia to perform some sort of ritual to free him with some of The Team. How was she supposed to let him do this alone? They'd went back in time to do this! And on top of that, Emori had left R.A. for this. And she wasn't even going to be able to do it.</p><p>She couldn't believe this is who Dick used to be. The Dick she knew--the Dick who helped <em>raise</em> her--would have handed her a gun, hugged her, and fought alongside her. She knew that he was different, he said it himself that he was righteous in the past, before the world went to shit. But it angered her to the point it felt consuming. Because this Dick didn't know her, and he wasn't even her uncle. She wished she didn't have to look him in the eyes and act as if he didn't hold so much of her heart.</p><p>It was bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. She risked everything--her life, the last people important to her--to come back and try to fix everything. She risked everything to bring back everyone who died, to give R.A. a good life, one where Lian might still be alive. She risked everything to do <em>nothing</em>.</p><p>All she had done so far was ruin everything. She got herself captured because she let her emotions for Dick get in the way, and then she allowed herself to be tortured because she couldn't escape, and then she let Blue Beetle get controlled by The Reach because she let Green Beetle get into his head. And now everything was all screwed and it was her fault.</p><p>"Alright," Dick said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "They got him. They're on their way to Bialyia." Emori's hands flared with pain as her nails cut into the cuts once again. "Hood? You there?"</p><p>Dick turned around, and Emori fumed, invisible to his eye. She had to do <em>something</em>. She worked so hard, sacrificed <em>everything </em>down to what felt like her sanity, and it still wasn't enough. She still missed the mark. Still wasn't good enough to stop their deaths.</p><p>"Hood," he said, his tone weary and warning, "you know how this will end."</p><p>"Really?" she seethed. "Because I think I know all your moves. Even the ones you don't know yet."</p><p>He held his escrima sticks in hand, still hesitating slightly despite scanning the room for her. "If you really do know me in the future, you would know I have many."</p><p>"I had time to learn," Emori said, causing his head to snap in her direction. "Just let me go. I need to do this."</p><p>"And what happens if you lose control?" Dick asked. "We don't know what your powers can do, or if your emotions make them stronger. They might do more than short-circuit his scarab."</p><p>"I came here to do this. I have to do it."</p><p>"You don't." He was worried, she could tell, he always had the same signs. "Once Blue Beetle is back, we can figure out how to control your powers. But you're too much of a liability in the field right now."</p><p>"I'm not!" she screamed. "I'm not a liability, I've never been a fucking liability!" </p><p>"Emori," Dick warned, "calm down. We don't know what your powers can do, and if they go off right now, it might give away our HQ."</p><p>Her lip curled in anger, her body becoming translucent, but the halo vanishing. "You have no idea how long I've waited to do this! To fix everything, to bring them all back! And you're just--you're just taking that away!"</p><p>"Getting revenge on their killer won't make it any easier. Trust me, I know."</p><p>"I'm not going to kill him," she said. "I just--I just need--I need to do something. I can't just sit here."</p><p>"So you're going to find a way to Bialyia? And then what?"</p><p>"I'll figure it out, I always do."</p><p>Dick relaxed his defensive position. "Alright, then go."</p><p>"Wait--really?" She became visible again. "You'd let me walk out, just like that?"</p><p>"If you're willing to risk the safety of the entire team and Bart, then it must be important to you." She frowned. "It's your choice."</p><p>"Fuck you." She sat down on the cold cement floor, hugging her knees to her chest. "This sucks. How do you sit back and watch them do all the work?"</p><p>"I'm doing my part, just not in the field. Someone has to do it."</p><p>Emori tucked her chin over her knees. "I guess. But what if something goes wrong? What if--"</p><p>"They'll be fine," he assured her. "Bart can handle himself, he's proven capable."</p><p>She nodded, her chin digging into her knees. "You're right, you're right. He'll be fine. And Zatanna's there, and so is Cassie, they're the powerhouses. It'll be fine."</p><p>"You don't sound too confident."</p><p>Emori glared at him. "I can still knock you out."</p><p>"I'd like to see you try." He held up his hands in mock-surrender. "Just a joke."</p><p>If Bart got hurt, what would she do? Or worse--what if he <em>died?</em> Emori couldn't imagine life without him. They had been each other's rocks through their parents death and all of the others. Losing him felt like losing part of herself.</p><p>She couldn't lose Bart. In that moment, she decided that she would do anything she could to make sure nothing bad happened to him. And she was staying to protect him. As much as it tore her apart, she knew Dick was right. Neither of them knew how her powers worked, and with as many emotions were running through her, seeing Blue Beetle--or Jaime, she wasn't sure what to call them--would be the icing on the cake. She might fry all of them, and the idea made her stomach flip.</p><p>Emori looked down to see her body half-translucent, half visible, and she groaned. She could never catch a break, could she?</p><p>"Just breath," Dick said. "One, two, three. Count in your head."</p><p>That sent her into a spiral. Her nails dug into her ankles, her airway seeming to close as she squeezed her eyes shut. No, no, <em>no</em>. She could feel the hands pulling at her, the feet trampling her, the screams as grenades were thrown into the crowd in an attempt to disperse them. She remembered crying out, screaming for Dick, or R.A., or <em>someone</em>. She couldn't do anything but try to gasp for air, squeezing herself so tight that she could feel herself start to bruise.</p><p>She remembered trying to do what her uncle said, just breathe and count, to calm herself as she tried to find him in the crowd. And then she found him, bullet in his chest, bleeding at the edge of the riot. She remembered how the scream ripped her throat raw, how she tried to stop the blood even though she knew it was impossible, and how he whispered "<em>just breathe, one, two three, just like we practiced.</em>"</p><p>Why couldn't she fucking <em>breathe?</em></p><p>"Emori!" Dick yelled, finally getting through to her. "It's okay, you're in the HQ, you're not there anymore."</p><p>
  <em>This isn't her Dick, this isn't her uncle, this isn't--</em>
</p><p>A hand dug into her shoulder and she startled, wrenching free from their grip, eyes wide, focused on the target in front of her. It was Dick, or rather Nightwing. She was still sweating, the raw, unfiltered fear coursing through her veins, but it was starting to subside.</p><p>She hated when that happened. It was worse than breaking a bone.</p><p>"Sorry," she whispered. "That--that happens sometimes. I can't really control it."</p><p>"It's a panic attack, it happens to the best of us." That calmed her down. "Was it--did I set you off somehow?"</p><p>Her eyebrows pinched together as she looked anywhere but at him. "Yeah, but it's okay. It won't happen again."</p><p>He looked like he wanted to say something more, but he didn't. "Alright." And then, like something pushed him to do it, he turned back to her. "In the future, what was I to you? You know me, you know my moves--who was I?"</p><p>"You took care of me," she finally said, feeling like a weight was lifted off of her chest. "You were--you were my uncle."</p><p>"Oh." He seemed almost relieved by that. Before Emori could comprehend what was happening, he wrapped his arms around her, hesitant at first, and then tight enough that she could feel him. For a moment she couldn't breathe, she could only feel the tension in her muscles, and then she relaxed, gripping the back of his suit as she returned the hug.</p><p>She couldn't think about Bart, or Blue Beetle, or Jaime, or R.A.--all she could think about was that <em>finally</em>, she hugged her uncle again. It wasn't him, at least not hers, but it was good enough for her.</p><p>That was all she ever wanted. To see her family again.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Paradise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>IT HAD BEEN EXACTLY FIFTEEN DAYS SINCE ZATANNA FREED BLUE BEETLE FROM THE REACH'S PROGRAMMING, ALLOWING JAIME TO GO BACK TO HIS DISTRAUGHT FAMILY. </b>They had found out what The Reach did after Nightwing arrived at their house with Zatanna, Jaime behind them, and they had a long conversation about what truly happened to Jaime. Emori was glad the Blue Beetle chapter of this was over, that she didn't have to worry about it anymore, and that the planning for the next phase of their operations could begin.</p><p>Except that it wasn't, not for her. Bart was still shaken up but he took it much better than her, possibly because he was closer to Jaime than she was. She tried to not give him the cold shoulder at HQ, but it was hard. Every time she saw him she could only see him when he was on-mode, both mere weeks before and decades in the future. It was hard, but she was trying, she was. It wasn't Jaime's fault, he didn't ask for the scarab, or for The Team.</p><p>But it didn't matter. Emori couldn't control it, she couldn't control the nightmares she got every night. It was exhausting waking up, whether in the middle of the night or at seven in the morning, heart pounding as she gasped for breath. She didn't want that anymore, she was tired of it. Bart was happy, or <em>happier</em>, why couldn't she be?</p><p>She wondered about that as she stood with the other soldiers. It was part of the elaborate plan Aqualad, Dick, and Artemis had, also with Wally, where they filled the rest in later. It was mind-boggling to find out that Artemis wasn't dead, she had taken the form of Tiger Lady that had beaten them up not long before, and Kaldur had been undercover for two years. She came to terms with it--as if she had any choice--and went along with their several-step plan.</p><p>They took down Deathstroke days prior, where he was in a holding cell in a secure location on an unsaid island, and Miss Martian would take his place, shapeshifting into him. They would go along with the meeting with The Reach and The Light as planned, then Aqualad would subtly cause a disturbance, and Artemis would be revealed as her glamoured-self instead of Tigress. Then Miss Martian--or Deathstroke, to everyone else--would step in, shoot them both once they were outed as traitors, instead using soft dissolving bullets that would rupture into blood across their chest. Once they were "dead," a holographic message would play of Aqualad, exposing The Light and The Reach's scheming to each other, and once the fight ensued, several heroes would come through the stone doors.</p><p>Then that's where several of them came in. As Aqualad said, Ra's Al Ghul would call for reinforcements, where they would drop down, disguised as soldiers, and throw the fight while the two sides were fighting amongst themselves, all while Artemis' glamour charm caught it all on camera. It was fool-proof, or at least Emori hoped it was. She had spent two hours pretending to be a soldier, crouched perfectly until her muscles turned to stone, the feeling reminded her of the labor camps and she was itching to do something, preferably punch the one's responsible.</p><p>Blue Beetle crouched three feet behind her didn't help, either.</p><p>Somehow, Bart knew how she was feeling, even with the black mask and suit obscuring every single thing about her. It was comforting, especially when he risked grabbing her hand, the tall grass obscuring it. If anyone besides their teammates had seen it, it would be game over. But no one had to know.</p><p>She squeezed back, so tight she thought she would break his fingers, and he squeezed back just as hard. It grounded her so deeply she wanted to fall into his arms to feel something again.</p><p>Wally had assured her and Bart over pancakes from I Hop two days before that everything would be fine. Emori didn't know Wally as well as Bart did, but she trusted him, more than she probably should. She trusted every word he said, she knew he would do everything he could to make sure they were safe. He jokingly said he'd lay his life down for them, and while he and Bart both laughed, they all knew the truth: Wally wouldn't hesitate to do so, and that's what made it terrifying.</p><p>A thought struck her so sudden and fierce she nearly tipped over. If it came down to it, would <em>she</em> risk it all for Bart? She knew the answer without thinking about it. She had done it time and time again in the future, at least this time they weren't malnourished and collared.</p><p>Suddenly, the soldiers all stood, seemingly getting a signal, and Emori scrambled to follow, letting her limbs relax into a stiff, regal posture. They moved forward, ten by ten, to the hatch at the top of the mountain, and Emori could only hold her breath as she saw them jump down it and onto the cavern floor. Dick had tough her--past dick, the one that still wore the suit--how to make it from this height. It seemed much easier when all of her worst fears weren't at the bottom with high-powered weapons.</p><p>She held her breath, and as Bart let go of her hand, she jumped down. It surprised her, nearly numbing, that she had made it. She expected to make a <em>splat </em>sound and ruin the fight with her pitiful death. </p><p>A spear was in her hands, thin with a red almost knife-like tip. It was strange, she knew she had seen the type of technology before, but she couldn't put her finger on the name. She decided it didn't matter as she brandished her weapon, standing mere feet from Dick. It was all an act, but something deep within her ached at being on the offending side.</p><p>Suddenly, the fight broke out with who she thought was Vandal Savage's words, and she jumped to the side, avoiding Dick's escrima stick. She flickered for half a second and his eyes widened briefly before he turned to the side, bringing his left stick down on a soldier's head. Emori followed his movements, taking on the other soldier that was moving towards him, ramming the flat end of her spear against the base of their skull, crumpling them.</p><p>She ripped off her mask, breathing in deeply, the change in temperature freeing as she disappeared into thin air. She appeared behind a soldier and bent them backwards by the shoulders, bringing her knee up into their skull so hard that it hurt her knee.</p><p>She turned, a gasp catching in her throat as she came face-to-face with Ra's Al Ghul. The man who brought her father back to life, the man who carried the same green eyes as her, a side-effect from the Lazarus Pit.</p><p>His eyes met hers and they widened, shock written across his ancient features. "You--"</p><p>He was too shocked, while Emori was too overwhelmed, a dangerous combination. Without her thinking, a small burst of energy came out of her, knocking him back several feet into Superboy's arms. She didn't have time to dwell on the several things that just happened.</p><p>A red figure rose into the air, quickly morphing into a teenage boy with ghostly pale skin and spiky black hair, a frightening orange tabby sitting on his shoulder. <em>Klarion, </em>Wally had told her about him.</p><p>He moved his fingers and red lightning shot from them into Slade's sword, turning it into a large fiery snake that slithered toward Miss Martian. Emori could only watch as it swept her up while Savage and Klarion disappeared into a red portal.</p><p>"Cowardly meat!" Black Beetle yelled.</p><p>"No," Ra's Al Ghul objected. "Vandal has the right idea. This battle is pointless. Do not resist. The <em>heroes </em>have no jurisdiction here."</p><p>"Meaning every piece of meat on The Light is a coward."</p><p>Superboy tried to stop him, but Emori could only watch as she crippled a soldier--Black Beetle threw him into the cavern wall like a rag doll, advancing on a preoccupied Ra's Al Ghul. He brought his blade through the man's stomach and Emori cried out, her entire life flashing through her eyes as she bashed a soldier over the head to break free from his grips.</p><p>Ra's Al Ghul's bodyguard ran forward, taking him into his arms, and Emori didn't watch how he disappeared as she turned to run after Black Beetle.</p><p>"Get off of me!"</p><p>Black Beetle was so close, just a minute or two and she'd have him. </p><p>Bart cried out again, and the decision was made. She sprinted over, yanking the two soldiers off of him, knocking one's spear out of their hands with hers and hitting the other one across the head. Bart got the second one, a stupid grin on his face. "We make quite a team, right?"</p><p>She huffed, blowing back a strand of hair. "You know we do."</p><p>He smiled and broke off into a run, turning into a blur.</p><p>"Hood!" Dick called out. "Help Miss Martian!"</p><p>Emori felt dread build up in her chest, but she did what he said. She still wasn't sure how to use her new powers--Dick hadn't even managed to help her control them yet--what if trying to help Miss Martian only hurt her more? Or worse?</p><p>She tried not to think too much about it as she raised her hands. She didn't have to conjure up any awful thoughts to get them working, the air around her turned into a translucent halo, magnifying as it reached the snake, blowing against the flames wildly. A twinge built in her torso but she ignored it, still holding her hands up to aim as the snake started to shrink until it was nothing but smoke.</p><p>Water splashed past her, and for a brief moment she saw Black Manta and Aqualad fighting before the water overtook them again. With a heavy heart, she saw that the only people left in the room conscious were members of The Light.</p><p>Emori disappeared and reappeared behind the gorilla wearing a red hat, jumping onto his back as hard as she could, pulling her spear back tight against his neck. It yanked at the spear, frantic, before it grabbed onto her neck and flung her forward. She landed on her back, spear clattering to the floor behind her, and a yelp left her lips once she hit the cement. </p><p>The gorilla stalked forward and she felt her eyes start to burn as she slowly tried to get to her feet, every inch of her body hurting terribly. She raised her arm, quick pants of pain leaving her lips as she aimed. The gorilla cried out, grabbing its head as it fell, twitching until it was left unconscious.</p><p>Emori was left in horror for a few quick moments. Was that how her powers worked? Could they incapacitate someone that quickly? It was terrifying.</p><p>A hand clapped down on her shoulder and she jumped, both in pain and fear, her fists raised defensively.</p><p>"Woah, it's just me! Do I look threatening to you?"</p><p>Emori blinked in confusion, her eyes sweeping the room only to find no more opponents left. "Did we . . . did we do it?"</p><p>"Uh,<em> yeah!</em> We did it!"</p><p>Her eyes started to burn, a tear dropping down her cheek, carving a line out of the dirt, but she couldn't be bothered to care as she nearly jumped into Bart's arms, making him stumble a step backward. She hugged him, tighter than she had ever hugged him before, her face buried into his collarbone as she tried to hold back her tears.</p><p>"We did it, Bart," she breathed out. "We did it. I can't believe we did it."</p><p>"Me neither." It was his voice--not the happy, go-lucky persona--<em>him</em>. "I can't believe we did it."</p><p>His arms were around her, stronger than they had ever been in the future, and that was all Emori could care about. They did it, they were safe, there would be no labor camps or resistance. They were free, they were finally free.</p><p>"Wally's waving us over, you wanna go celebrate?"</p><p>"Yeah, I think I do."</p><p>For the first time in days, Emori smiled, even with tear-stained cheeks. It didn't matter anymore, none of it mattered. They did their job, they saved their families.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Home of Horror</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>FOR SIX HOURS EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT.</b> Emori and Bart went back to Joan and Jay's house, where Wally and Barry met them, along with Iris and Artemis, and they had a too-early breakfast, all of them too anxious to go to sleep, still trying to shake off their adrenaline. She felt slightly out of place, with Bart calling Barry and Iris his grandparents and Wally his cousin, but it didn't matter. She fit just as much as he did, Wally looked at her with the same familial love as he looked at Bart. They had spent time together, up until Wally and Artemis excused themselves to go back to their apartment for their dog, with Barry and Iris leaving soon after.</p><p>It was incredible, Emori couldn't push down the euphoric feeling in her, not even as she washed away the dirt and blood, or as she climbed into bed beside Bart. This time they weren't stuck close together for warmth, they were close because they had survived. They had done their job, they did it together, like they said they would. For the first time in days, she didn't have a nightmare.</p><p>But she had woken up to her worst one. Joan, shaking them awake hurriedly, saying that something had gone wrong. That The Reach had planted some kind of weapons all around the world, as a last-ditch effort to save themselves from facing any trial for their crimes. Weapons they hadn't known about until Blue Beetle found out after taking Black Beetle down, weapons they hadn't known about until they started to go off one by one.</p><p>It was her worst fear, the one that kept her up at night. The one where they lost. She couldn't bear it, and with Bart beside her, she hurried into her suit, her hair hair still wet from the shower as she grabbed onto Bart's shoulders and they sped to the nearest Zeta Tube.</p><p>Joan had pushed a phone into their hands as soon as they were awake, Dick on the other end, still in his suit, where he gave them the quickest rundown he could. The Reach had planted MFD's--or Magnetic Field Disrupters--around the globe, and once they reached something called "chrysalis mode" it was game over, the world's magnetic field would be deteriorated too far to be stopped. Lex Luthor, despite all odds, had given them anti-virus technology that would stop the MFD's, as long as they could get close enough, and there was enough of them to do so. Blue would locate them, they would all take them down. It seemed easy enough.</p><p>But once Emori was standing there with so many heroes that she couldn't even name them all, it seemed perilous. If she died before the plan was complete, or if she didn't complete it, it was all for nothing. All of her work--leaving R.A.--it was for nothing. She couldn't do that, she couldn't let it happen again. She'd rather die a thousand times over than spend another day in the labor camps.</p><p>"Every single Magnetic Field Disrupter must be disabled before they chrysalis to guarantee Earth's safety," Captain Atom said. "Each MFD is protected by multiple beetle tech drones and each drone is the equivalent of a beetle warrior. Blue Beetle has located twenty MFD's around the world. There's forty-one of us assembled here, so you'll be in squads of two with one team of three."</p><p>"You will all be issued multiple Reach tech eggs containing my anti-Reach virus software," Lex Luthor informed. "While one hero runs interference with the drones the other only has to touch his or her egg against an MFD to disable it."</p><p>"Alright," Captain Atom said. "I have your assignments. We'll distribute these eggs and go."</p><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, the fate of the world is in your hands."</p><p>It sounded less comforting coming from Lex Luthor, famously known as one of the League's worst enemies.</p><p>Captain Atom listed out the teams, and Emori felt her heart drop when she didn't get Bart. She got Arsenal, but that was good, the two had survived for four days relying solely on each other--this would be easy, hopefully.</p><p>Emori hugged Bart, tight, her fingers digging into the back of his suit. "Be safe, okay?"</p><p>"I'm<em> always </em>safe, it's practically my middle name."</p><p>She smiled, her eyes starting to burn, and gave him one last squeeze before she departed with Arsenal into a Zeta Tube headed to Atlanta. She didn't want to think about what might happen in the next few hours. It would be okay, she and Bart always made it. They could do it this time.</p><p>Once they stepped out of the Zeta Tube they were immediately met with screaming, a woman crashing into Arsenal and nearly knocking him over in her haste. Down the road that was littered with abandon cars was the MFD, three drones swirling around it, firing toward people. A storm was starting to rage, Emori's hair whipping wildly into her face, the air humid and suffocating.</p><p>Arsenal gave her a quick, firm nod, and they were off. They didn't discuss it, but somehow, they knew the plan. Emori would take down the drones since they were Reach tech while he snuck through the sea of cars and took down the MFD.</p><p>A beam fired towards her and she ducked behind a car, waiting two seconds before she jumped on top of the car's hood and fired at the drone. It sparked dangerously, teetering in the air as it fired a few lopsided shots before it fell to the ground with a small explosion.</p><p>Without thinking, Emori shot at the other drone and picked an older woman off the ground, pushing her into the crowd before the drone could hit her. There were too many people, she had to do something to get the drones' undivided attention.</p><p>She raised both her arms, and with the wind slashing at her back, the air around her seemed to become solid and blinding white as it rushed forward, forming a ball of energy around the drones.</p><p>"<em>Arsenal!</em>" she yelled. "Hurry!"</p><p>The two drones burst and sweat formed on Emori's brow as she held the explosion back in the circle, the strain making her stomach flip as she let the ball dissipate.</p><p>The storm seemed to stall, the clouds parted, and Emori watched with wide eyes as the MFD fell to the ground, creating a small crater in the street.</p><p>"Orion," Emori said into the comm, "we've disabled the MFD in Atlanta. It's down."</p><p>"Good work," the person on the other end said--she still couldn't remember his name. "Head back to the Watchtower."</p><p>"Wait, we have clearance for that?"</p><p>"You do now."</p><p>That seemed to get Arsenal's attention, and without wasting much time they sprinted back to the Zeta Tube. It announced their arrival, and within seconds, they were standing in the Watchtower. Emori could only stare in awe. It was better than Dick or R.A. described--it was <em>beautiful</em>.</p><p>"You did it, kid!"</p><p>Emori's face broke into a smile as she walked forward to Wally where he wrapped her in a quick, bone-crushing hug.</p><p>"I knew you could do it."</p><p>She couldn't seem to wipe the smile off her face as she pulled away. Artemis gave her a thumbs up, which heightened her mood. Artemis was incredible at her job--if anything, Emori wanted to be like her.</p><p>Arsenal walked closer to the holographic screens, seemingly not noticing how the others seemed shocked at his arrival. They still weren't used to the original Speedy, but Emori didn't mind. She liked Arsenal.</p><p>"Theta Squad," came Black Canary's voice. "Asami has deployed the egg and disabled the MFD."</p><p>"Good work, Theta," the man on the comms said enthusiastically. "Twenty squads deployed, twenty MFD's destroyed. The mission was a success. We have done it!"</p><p>"We missed one."</p><p>Emori could only watch in horror as Atom allowed a holographic screen to appear, demonstrating the Earth's magnetic field.</p><p>"The Earth's magnetic field is still being disrupted."</p><p>"No," Emori whispered, tears brimming with horror. "I-It can't--"</p><p>"Blue Beetle to Watchtower." <em>Blue.</em> Blue was with Bart, were they okay? "I'm reading a twenty-first MFD. In the arctic, hidden from my previous scans by Earth's North Magnetic Pole. Sending coordinates."</p><p>"There are no Zeta Tubes in the arctic," the man said. "How are we going to--"</p><p>"Don't worry, gang. I've got this."</p><p><em>Barry</em>. He could make it in time.</p><p>"Not without me you don't." No, no, Bart couldn't-- "A squad of two, remember? Let's go in and crash that MFD's mode. Follow me, gramps!"</p><p>Emori felt sick. Bart couldn't--she couldn't let him do this. What if he died? This one had been going on longer, it was stronger.  It was too dangerous.</p><p>"Flash to Watchtower," came Barry's voice. "The Magnetic Field Disruptor, it's already gone chrysalis." Emori covered her mouth to stop a sob from coming out, a tear falling down her cheek and over her hand. "And I'm not sure if the egg--"</p><p>"The egg is useless now," Luthor cut in from his end, somewhere in Metropolis. "You're too late."</p><p>"What now?"</p><p>"Now you run."</p><p>"Hey, I'm no quitter. There's gotta be--"</p><p>"I didn't say <em>run away,</em> I said run. Together, you and Impulse should be able to negate the chrysalis by running counter to its energy flow."</p><p>"Is it really that simple?"</p><p>"I wouldn't call it simple," Atom said. "You'll be attempting to siphon its power with your own speed trails. It'll take a massive amount of kinetic energy. And no matter what, don't slow down until the chrysalis is completely neutralized."</p><p>Emori turned to the side to ask Wally if there was any way to get to the arctic, but then she heard it. <em>Recognized: Kid Flash B03</em>.</p><p>She hurried to Dick and grabbed his arm. "There has to be something we can do. What's the fastest way to the arctic?"</p><p>"We don't have anything that quick. It would take--"</p><p>The computer announced Miss Martian, and they all turned to see her fly into the room. "Green Beetle's bioship is in the hanger, we have to go. Now."</p><p>Emori didn't wait, she broke into a sprint, Artemis beside her, before she realized she didn't know where she was going. Artemis grabbed her hand and tugged her along, leading her through what seemed like a maze of hallways until they got to a hangar door. Superboy, Aqualad and Blue Beetle waited inside, but Emori couldn't be bothered by that.</p><p>Miss Martian flew in followed by Dick, and there was barely a two second gap before the door slammed shut and they were speeding along. Emori had to grab the wall to brace herself, her heart leaping into her throat as they hurtled down toward Earth at a dangerous speed.</p><p>"Hold on!" Miss Martian yelled.</p><p>Emori nearly slid down the wall as they came to a stop, her feet slipping out from under her, the only thing stopping her from falling being Artemis, who grabbed her arm firmly.</p><p>"Out!" Miss Martian yelled. "Now!"</p><p>The doors to the bioship opened and they sprinted out, the harsh, cold wind nearly knocking Emori back. She stared at the blue tornado-like storm in front of them with a mix of awe and horror, her stomach a bundle of nerves as she realized Bart was right in the thick of it.</p><p>"Look!" Dick said. "It's working, they're shutting it down!"</p><p>Emori blinked back the burn in her eyes as she anxiously watched. "What happens if they stop it? Will they be okay? Will--will they make it?"</p><p>"They'll be fine," Dick assured, but it fell short. "They can do this."</p><p>Emori chewed on her lip until it bled, her tears nearly turning to ice in her eyes. She let out a gasp of relief as the storm started to sputter out, the blue unfurling into nothing, leaving a cloud of snow in its wake.</p><p>"They did it!" Emori yelled. "They did it!"</p><p>She ran forward, pushing herself to her limit, her lungs screaming with effort as she slid to her knees beside Bart. "You're okay," she whispered. "You did it, Bart, it's over. There's no more fighting."</p><p>He didn't say anything, he only collapsed into her arms, his shoulders shaking with a heavy sob.</p><p>Emori felt tears build in her eyes once she realized what was wrong. Wally wasn't there. He wasn't with them. Tears fell down her cheeks as she stared at the snow, her mind refusing to comprehend it. Wally wouldn't die, he just <em>couldn't</em>.</p><p>She let out a sob, everything hitting her full force, everything she sacrificed and lost falling down onto her mercilessly.</p><p>They won. They defeated The Reach, their families would be safe.</p><p>Except Wally. Their family was safe, except for Wally.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>IT HAD BEEN </b></em>two weeks since they defeated The Reach. In that time Bart and Emori had gotten their first physical check-up with a League pediatrician, Emori picked up knitting and made friends with Tye. And they had Wally's funeral, where they buried an empty casket in Central City. </p><p>Bart had come back to the Watchtower, decked in the Kid Flash uniform, to join The Team. It was hard for him, to take Wally's mantle, but they both knew it was what the man wanted. It was what Bart wanted, too, even if he couldn't admit it.</p><p>But Emori didn't come back to make a new name for herself, or to find her place in The Team. She needed her own path, one separate from the reminders of her past.</p><p>"Hood," Dick greeted, his smile tired but genuine. "...Where's your suit?"</p><p>"I don't need it anymore." She sighed. "I came back in time to fix the world, to save my family and everyone else. And I did that. And--I did what I came here to do. Doing this--being a hero, fighting villains--it's great, it is, but it reminds me of everything that happened. I can't keep seeing that anymore, I can't move on that way."</p><p>Dick nodded. "I know. You need to do what's best for you Emori. If you ever want to come back, The Team's waiting for you. You're always welcome."</p><p>She smiled as she looked back toward the new team gathering in the Watchtower. "Maybe one day. But not today."</p><p>She stopped The Reach. She saved her family. She survived. But Emori wasn't sure where that left her anymore.</p><p>There was no future for her anymore, she was stuck in the past. She had to make a life for herself. She wasn't Emori Todd anymore, but she would never forget her past. Her past was what kept her alive, what kept her human.</p><p>Emori was more than Hood.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Heartbreak</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>WHEN DICK RANG THE DOORBELL OF THE MANOR, EMORI NEARLY THREW HER HERMIT CRAB ACROSS THE ROOM IN A HASTE TO GET TO THE FRONT DOOR. </b>Gently, she sat him in his cage, and ran through the grand halls and staircases so fast her feet kept sliding due to the fuzzy socks adorning them. Her shoulder-length hair flew past her face as she slid to a stop by the front door. "I got it!"</p><p>She knew Alfred, likely only a hallway away, was relieved he didn't have to get the door this time.</p><p>"Hi, Ga--Dick, what're you doing here?"</p><p>"I asked Gar if he could spend the night at his house tonight," Dick explained. "He wasn't very happy. But, I have something to ask."</p><p>She frowned. "Dick, I've told you I'm not helping you with your laundry again, it's ten at night and you need to learn the damn difference between dish detergent and laundry detergent."</p><p>"No, no not that." He glanced inside. "Can I come in? It's hot out here."</p><p>Emori let him in, locking the big oak door behind him. "Alright, what's up? Because if it's ten at night, and it isn't about laundry and you being lonely again, it has to be important."</p><p>"I tracked down a meta-trafficking syndicate to Markovia, it's going down tonight. I already have Artemis, Black Lightning and Superboy on board." He smiled. "You'd be the perfect number five."</p><p>She nearly slipped in her socks from shock. "Woah--you know I don't do hero work anymore. I'm a measly house-teen, I do schoolwork, ride my skateboard, and take care of my hermit crab. A blissful, suit-less life. Early retirement."</p><p>"I know, I know. But you've been helping me with the meta-trafficking issue, you've been over at me and Barbara's for practically three weeks straight. You know you want to take Beldam down."</p><p>She scowled. "Shut up, stop using perfectly good logic against me." She ran a hand through her hair. "Just--are you sure? A hundred percent?"</p><p>"Barbara ran the tests three times," he said. "It's in Markovia. We can take down this one place, tonight, and save thousands of lives."</p><p>Emori sighed. "Fine, but--I can't. I don't even have a suit, my last one is a bit . . . thirteen-year-old sized."</p><p>"I got you covered. If we hurry, we can get there before the others."</p><p>"You owe me. Big time."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>DICK HAD COVERT</em></b> suits. Hers even had a jacket that zipped up, made of nearly the same material as the suit, and she had decided she never loved Dick more than that moment.</p><p>"Uh, I hate to break it to you, but I don't think you're exactly dressed for the occasion," Artemis said, eyeing Emori's <em>Wayne Enterprises</em> pajamas and feet wearing nothing but fluffy duck socks. </p><p>"We Zeta'd from the Batcave," she explained, frowning as she realized her socks were now dirty from the asphalt of the sidewalk. "I didn't really ask questions, and since I'm standing in a park in my pajamas at midnight, I probably should have."</p><p>Connor Zeta'd in, already wearing the covert suit. "So, we're all here--oh, hey Emori." He looked at Dick with a clear gaze that said <em>holy shit, you actually got her to do it?</em></p><p>"Y'know," Emori said, "I'm standing right here."</p><p>"Sorry, I couldn't see you."</p><p>"Oh--<em>oh, fuck you,</em>" she huffed, her arms crossed. At first she would have laughed, thinking it was a joke about her powers, but no, Connor was making yet another short joke. It wasn't her fault that she had seemingly topped out at 5'4 while he was grown to the perfect size of 6'1.</p><p>"Wait, where's Jeff?" Emori asked, quickly realizing they were missing one person. "Didn't he quit the Lea--<em>oh</em>."</p><p>They were trying to get him to do this, as a "one last hurrah" situation, but also to try to help him cope with the fact that he'd accidentally killed a meta-teen while on Rann. She wasn't sure Jeff would show. She didn't know him that well, she'd met him a few times when she was younger and was still a hero, and a few times after when Jeff drove Virgil to the bus stop where they met in Gotham.</p><p>"I'm right here."</p><p>"<em>Jesus Christ!</em>" Emori exclaimed, disappearing out of fright, only to appear a few seconds later. "Uh, sorry, I'm a little rusty with all the ninja stuff."</p><p>Jeff huffed out a laugh as he walked over, a bag slung over his shoulder, with possibly a suit or something else. "Don't give me that look," Jeff said once he caught the three adults staring. "One mission only. Agreed?"</p><p>"Me too," Emori said. "I'm gonna kick some corrupt ass tonight and then never think about hero stuff again."</p><p>"Alright," Dick said, but the mischievous smile on his face wasn't convincing. "Time is short, mission debriefing en route. Let's go."</p><p>She frowned. "Great, those are always my favorite kind." She curled the ends of her hair around one of her fingers as they climbed into the Super-Cycle. "So, are we mingling with princes tonight? Because--"</p><p>"Don't even finish that sentence," Dick sighed. "I don't want to hear about it. And they're seventeen."</p><p>"And? That's only two years, I'd give that up for the throne!"</p><p>Emori, Queen of Markovia. It had a nice ring to it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>WHEN EMORI WALKED</em></b> into the reception, she desperately hoped no one would recognize her. It seemed unlikely, since despite her widely publicized appearance as Bruce Wayne's newly-adopted misfit she had barely been seen out in public. Plus, her hair was up to her shoulders now, not all the way down to her tailbone like it was back then.</p><p>The plan seemed mostly fool-proof. She, Dick and Artemis would fly commercially under false passports into Markovia, get into Gregor's coronation reception with hacked invitations, dress overly rich, and scope out the people attending, where Bedlam would no doubt be. Connor and Jeff would fly over the boarder on Super-Cycle, under the radar, carrying all of their gear. Eventually, once the plan started to roll into place, they would meet up.</p><p>It seemed like an air-tight plan--until Emori saw Perdita.</p><p>"Mother<em>fucker</em>," she hissed under her breath. "Dick, why didn't you tell me that Perdita was coming? She'll recognize me immediately!"</p><p>His eyes went wide momentarily. "Oh, shit. She wasn't on the guest list, she must have been a last minute addition. If I had known I would have sent you with the others."</p><p>"It's fine," she said. "I'll just--I'll stand slightly behind you guys and turn my head if she ever looks over here and drink champagne so I can subtly lower my head."</p><p>"You're not drinking champagne, you're still a minor over here, too."</p><p>They stood by a tent and Dick grabbed three drinks off a passing tray. Two glasses of champagne and what Emori could guess was sparkling water, the nasty drink that Bruce liked. She took a sip and it was, because she had to swallow it despite the disgusted look on her face.</p><p>"I ate rats in the future," she grumbled under her breath. "And they weren't even as bad as this drink. Why would you turn perfectly clean water into <em>this?</em>"</p><p>They were using the contact lens comms, the ones that glowed just-slightly and could identify and track a great number of things. Barbara had made her the test-subject to see if they could work on Martians since her invisible abilities were similar, but they couldn't, Emori could never seem to get the technology to work when she turned it invisible with her, something about the frequency.</p><p>Still, she was envious of them, because she had to squint and drink sparkling water.</p><p>"Do you really think the two princes could have had something to do with their own parents' deaths?" Artemis said.</p><p>"I hope not," Dick sighed. "But we shouldn't make assumptions. Honestly, though, there are more promising suspects here. That's Dr. Simon Ecks, a world-renowned geneticist, who for some reason has taken a low-paying job at the Markovian Children's Hospital."</p><p>"That's how it started back in my time," Emori grimaced. "As morbid as it sounds, it's the easiest way to abduct kids without anyone suspecting a thing. Because who's gonna question a kid with a heart defect dying on the operation table?"</p><p>Artemis nearly shivered at that. "Who's that woman with him?"</p><p>"Dr. Helga Jace," Dick said. "Personal physician of the Royal Family. There's no indication she has the training for meta-work, but you never know." Emori glanced at the two and saw their gaze shifting, so she followed it to a tall red-headed man. "That's Baron Frederick DeLamb, the late queen's brother. Tomorrow, when Gregor's crowned king, Uncle Freddy becomes Regent until Gregor turns eighteen."</p><p>"There's motive," Artemis scoffed. "For either of them."</p><p>"Or both."</p><p>Baron walked up to the podium, a large picture on either side of him, one of the king, one of the queen. "Good evening," he greeted, his accent thick. "Less than twenty-four hours ago, our own King Viktor and my beloved sister, Queen Ilona, were ruthlessly assassinated. But tomorrow, we crown their first-born, my nephew Gregor, as our new king."</p><p>His voice dulled in the back of Emori's mind as she leaned against the table behind her, rubbing the tiredness out of her eyes. She hadn't slept well the last week, and while her medication and therapy was working, it still didn't completely get rid of her nightmares. Staying up for this long didn't help, either.</p><p>"Prince Brion's clearly not with the program," Artemis said as he dumped his champagne out and stalked away from where he was standing.</p><p>"Noted." Dick took a small sip of his own. "But Ecks is still our lead suspect."</p><p>"Nightwing," came Connor's voice on the comms. "We've made the drop as planned. Your gear's in the northwest corner of the Markovian National Cemetery."</p><p>"We'll head over to the Children's Hospital to check out its anomalous power usage," Jeff added.</p><p>"Roger that, Lightning. Good luck."</p><p>Once again Emori tuned out the mission at hand despite the importance of it. She knew she shouldn't, she knew how important it was to end this, but she couldn't seem to control her mind long enough to get it to stop spinning. It always seemed to land on the topics she didn't want to think about, like telling everyone who she was, or Bart, or the worse ones. The stress of the situation didn't help with it, either.</p><p>"Targets are scrambling," Dick said. "Emori and I will follow Ecks and the Prince. You get our gear."</p><p>"Right." Artemis took a deep breath. "I'll catch up A.S.A.P."</p><p>When Artemis walked away, Emori silently threw her glass under the table behind her, the taste of the drink still feeling like acid in her mouth. "Okay, what's your brilliant plan, O' Great One?"</p><p>He smiled crookedly, a clear answer: improvise.</p><p>"Have I said I really regret doing this? Because I do. A lot."</p><p>They walked forward, casually, but enough not to draw attention to themselves. Emori ducked her head quickly as Perdita turned, beckoning for another socialite to come over. If Perdita saw her, this mission would be a failure, and Gar would have to explain more in-depth on what The Team actually did. </p><p>Thankfully, Perdita didn't see them, and they hurried forward, Emori disappearing beside Dick once they were alone. They followed loosely behind Brion, and the seventeen year old seemed to have no instincts, because he never once looked behind himself, only keeping his head down worriedly.</p><p>Eventually, Brion met with the doctor--Dr. Ecks--and they got into a car. Emori didn't like the feeling it gave her. Could Brion be Bedlam? She expected someone older, but it made sense. He could be envious of his brother, since they were only a minute apart, yet he got to rule their country. She wasn't sure, but the look on Brion's face as he got into the car made something inside her twist painfully.</p><p>They followed behind in Dick's car, far behind, Dr. Ecks trying to evade anyone that might be following. It was a good technique, but there was only one road, and Dick had done this hundreds of times in his life. It didn't take them long to safely follow behind the no-longer-swerving car. </p><p>"Amateurs," Dick scoffed. He pressed his comm. "Tigress, looks like Ecks and Brion are headed for the Children's Hospital. E.T.A.?"</p><p>"Running a little late," came Artemis' voice in her ear. "And I'm, uh, bringing a friend."</p><p>"<em>What?</em>" she and Dick both said simultaneously. </p><p>"Long story," Artemis sighed. Her comm ended with a click, signaling that the communication was over.</p><p>As they pulled up to the Children's Hospital, Ecks and Brion parked, walking in, entirely unaware that they were right behind them. "Lightning, S.B.," Dick said, "you've got company incoming." They didn't say a word, not even a click to show that they were online. "Repeat. Nightwing to Lightning . . . Nightwing to S.B., do you read?"</p><p>Connor's scrambled voice came in, only a few words they could make out: Nightwing, signal, and weak. Wherever they were inside the hospital, they were okay, but the likelihood of communication was small.</p><p>"Shit," Emori hissed as they pulled into a parking spot. "We're screwed, aren't we?"</p><p>"Not necessarily."</p><p>He didn't sound too confident, Emori could tell under the hardened layers of training.</p><p>"Tigress," Dick abruptly said, his eyes glowing blue from the lenses, "reroute to Lightning's coordinates." He looked over to Emori, or rather the spot where she was in the passenger seat, which was empty. "They're inside the hospital, somewhere, probably underground. We just have to find them."</p><p>"Got it, boss," Emori said, doing a small salute even though he couldn't see it. Dick's face flickered with something she couldn't place.</p><p>A robotic bug flew from his hand and out the window, following after Brion and Ecks right as the hospital doors shut.</p><p>"Nightwing, Hood, we found Lightning," Artemis said, near-panicked. "He's breathing but out of it. No sign of S.B."</p><p>And then she cut herself off. "Jesus Christ," Emori groaned. "Who don't you guys keep the line open?"</p><p>Dick didn't answer, he only stared ahead, eyes glowing blue, clearly watching whatever footage the bug was producing to his lenses.</p><p>"Great, just great. Keep me out of the loop."</p><p>"Alright, let's go."</p><p>"Like--like go inside? Now?"</p><p>"Yes, inside."</p><p>"Well I-I'm kinda wearing a really expensive dress and high heels? I can't fight."</p><p>Dick sighed, shutting his eyes tiredly. "You didn't change while we were following them?"</p><p>"Well, no! You were sitting right beside me!"</p><p>"You're <em>invisible,</em> Emori."</p><p>"Oh. Right." She was thankful he couldn't see her blushing. "Still, close your eyes and I'll change in the backseat."</p><p>He did, and she scrambled back, still invisible, silent as could be as she changed into her suit. He had already changed into his earlier, it was underneath his suit from the reception, which made it appear slightly bulky, and his escrima sticks were in the cupholder.</p><p>"Okay, I'm done. Let's go."</p><p>They climbed out of the car, Emori still invisible, and she eyed Dick, who was still wearing the suit from the reception. "Uh, what's that?"</p><p>"I can't walk in there wearing my suit." She waited a few seconds until it dawned on him. "<em>Ohh</em>. Can you do it for that long?"</p><p>"I did it long enough to sneak me, Gar, Virgil <em>and</em> Tye into an R-rated movie," Emori said. "I think I can do you."</p><p>He rolled his eyes, quickly stripping off his first suit until he was in his other, tossing it into the backseat of the car before they started walking. Emori placed her hand on his shoulder, focused on him, the air around them, the static that crackled in the air, the way his consciousness swirled within him--and when she opened her eyes he was gone, but she could feel his presence all the same.</p><p>They hurried into the hospital, past a receptionist and a custodian, and into what looked like a computer room. It was small, but the keypad on a wall stuck out like a sore thumb.</p><p>"A secret door," she gushed. "That's so cool."</p><p>Even though they were all around the Manor, it still felt cool to see them in the field.</p><p>Dick seemed hesitant to walk through the wall, but Emori did it effortlessly and appeared on the other side. "How do I turn this off?"</p><p>"Oh, right, sorry."</p><p>She shut her eyes, focusing on him, the energy of him--and he appeared beside her, looking rather sick. "I'm never doing that again," he breathed out, rubbing his head.</p><p>Emori appeared beside him with a scoff. "You get used to it after a while. Gar says it's like a fun roller coaster."</p><p>"Yeah, and he goes swimming as an octopus for fun, I don't trust his judgement."</p><p>She snorted out a laugh. He was right, Gar's judgement on those things wasn't the best.</p><p>Suddenly, something appeared inches from their faces, and Emori gasped, disappearing into thin air as she nearly jumped in the air. Dick didn't have such luck, and he banged his head on the wall behind him.</p><p>He groaned, rubbing his neck painfully before he pointed to the robotic bug in front of them. "You're supposed to be on our side."</p><p>"Real smooth," Emori remarked as she appeared again.</p><p>"I'm not the one who accidentally disappears when they get scared."</p><p>She frowned. There wasn't any way to argue with him, he was right.</p><p>Dick sighed and pressed his comm. "I'm in. Status?"</p><p>"We're two minutes out," Artemis said.</p><p>"S.B.?" Dick huffed in frustration and pointed at the bug. "Follow."</p><p>The bug beeped, almost as if it was talking back, and Emori held back a laugh as she sprinted behind Dick. He seemed to know where he was going, possibly because he scoped out the blueprints of the hospital before they even went on the mission. It couldn't be from the lenses, they disconnected as soon as he disappeared.</p><p>They entered what seemed like a train station--Emori wasn't sure, it reminded her of a cave--and hid behind a large computer-like structure. Dick pointed at the bug and motion it forward. Emori couldn't make out the words of what the people were saying, but she could distinctly make out that one was Count Vertigo. She only knew that because Perdita frequently yelled at videos of him on the news.</p><p>"Receiving video," Artemis reported.</p><p>"Nightwing, Hood," Black Lightning said, "stop this before they finish loading those kids."</p><p>Emori disappeared and looked around the edge to see Vertigo and three men loading tubes--of what she guessed was the meta-children--onto a train.</p><p>They made their way toward a building in the middle of the station. "Negative," Dick said. "Those pods aren't going anywhere fast on rails. We need to locate S.B. and the Prince first."</p><p>They went into the building, turning the knob silently, and Emori wondered who was in those pods, even if she shouldn't. Would she recognize any of them? Would they be heroes or villains of her time, or nobodies that died with The Reach?</p><p>A small part of her that she'd tried to stomp out wondered if, against all odds, her father might be in one of those. He wasn't a meta-human, but he was supposed to be alive by now. The anxiousness of waiting for him to pop up was sickening, she needed to know she hadn't ruined everything by coming back in time.</p><p>"Activate the spy gear we planted," Black Lightning said. "Might help you find them."</p><p>Dick shut the door behind them quietly, the robotic bug flying ahead of them. "Might," he agreed. "If they weren't in a thousand pieces."</p><p>With dread, Emori noticed a silver tray on the table, filled with broken pieces of what looked to be their gear, a hammer laying in the middle of the wreckage. While Dick hid behind the wall, his head poking out slightly to look at the viewer's window beside him, Emori stood front and center, knowing it was unlikely that they could manage to see her. If they did, they would see Dick before her, and it wouldn't matter.</p><p>"Got eyes on Ecks and . . . Huh, Dr. Helga Jace." Emori eyes flickered around, rapid-fire, taking anything in that she could. The doctors talking, Prince Brion in a tube, the black liquid slowly going down, and Connor in a similar one, his without the liquid. Both were unconscious, which she couldn't tell was good or bad.</p><p>"They've got S.B.," Dick said. "Unconscious, in a pod."</p><p>"Oh, he is not going to like that," Artemis remarked.</p><p>"Nope. Brion's in the next pod over. I think they tried to make him meta-active."</p><p>Emori didn't want to be the bad guy, but she thought that if Brion was a prince, there was no way his powers would be small.</p><p>"Arriving now," Black Lightning said.</p><p>"Then we're going in."</p><p>The door in the doctor's room opened and they both stopped, turning to look back through the window. Count Vertigo.</p><p>"What is going on here?" he demanded. "Explain yourselves!"</p><p>"Ready to move in," Artemis informed.</p><p>"Stop," Emori whispered, "something's happening. Count Vertigo's here, he's arguing with the doctors. It doesn't look good."</p><p>"Count Vertigo, we--"</p><p>He cut Ecks off, unsatisfied. "I have just spoken with<em> His Highness</em>, and he gave no orders for the podding and tarring of a Prince of the Realm!"</p><p>"His highness?" Dick wondered aloud. "Gregor?"</p><p>"I want answers!" Vertigo demanded, lifting Ecks into the air with his fist by his shirt collar. "Now!"</p><p>Ecks struggled out of his grip and got his feet on the ground. "You lied to me!" he exclaimed, pointing at Helga Jace. "You said this was all done by the<em> boss' command.</em>"</p><p>"I had to! His so-called "Highness" is out of control!" She shivered. "The things he has made us do . . . But now we have someone with the power to stop him, to stop Bedlam!"</p><p>"You ignorant peasant," Vertigo snarled. He held a hand to the devices on his head and Emori could see the air rippling dangerously as Jace held her head, crumpling to the ground with a scream. "The plans set in motion here far exceed your short-sighted morality. To get what I need, I will deliver control of Markovia to him. And you will do <em>nothing</em> to interfere."</p><p>Emori didn't know who Jace was, if she was truly as bad as Bedlam or not, but seeing her scream in pain until she nearly went unconscious wasn't something she wanted to see. She had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself.</p><p>"I have to warn Perdita," Emori whispered in horror. "Whatever royal person Vertigo is working with, they'll get the crown. And they'll take over Vlatva, too, and make Vertigo king."</p><p>"They'll both be under The Light's dominion," Dick concluded grimly.</p><p>"We can't let that happen," Artemis said, determined, over the comms.</p><p>Vertigo abruptly stopped, leaving Jace gasping and coughing for relief. "His Highness will  be here any second to decide what to do with all of you."</p><p>"Guys," Artemis whispered hurriedly, "new arrival."</p><p>Emori nearly cupped a hand over her mouth, as if they could hear her breathing through the glass. Her eyes were wide with shock, the new arrival something she rationally should have considered, but something that seemed unlikely.</p><p>"Well, if it isn't Baron Bedlam himself," Jace rasped.</p><p>Baron slammed the door behind himself. "One night," he said. "I only required this organization to operate without me for <em>one night</em>, so I might play the role of Regent to the King without interruption. But it seems <em>that </em>was <em>too much</em> to ask."</p><p>"Baron DeLamb," Ecks greeted, fidgeting slightly. "Dr. Jace has betrayed us all."</p><p>"How did I not notice that DeLamb is an anagram for Bedlam?" Dick grit out with a huff. "I totally should have seen this coming!"</p><p>"Helga," Baron said, "this betrayal will cost you more than--"</p><p>Emori ducked down as three shots went off, ones she only recognized as Super Cycle's after the fact. The sound of it flying followed afterward, then by more shorts, and the roar of an angry creature. Vertigo burst out of the door, coat tail trailing behind him.</p><p>"Guys?" Dick hurriedly whispered into the comm.</p><p>"We need an exit!" Jeff yelled. "And back-up!"</p><p>Dick nodded at her, and she walked clean through the wall, watching as Baron fled the room, too, handing Ecks a gun to watch over Jace with. She walked directly up to Ecks, the man entirely unaware that she was standing inches in front of him. With a satisfactory smile, Emori emerged, grabbed the top of his head, and slammed it down into her knee.</p><p>He fell to the floor within seconds.</p><p>"I meant hit his pressure point," Dick said as he walked through the door, eyeing the man with a broken nose. "But I guess that works too." He walked up to Jace. "Don't worry, we're here to rescue--"</p><p>"Out of my way!" she said, batting his hand away as she hurried toward the pods. She pressed a button and the things attached to Brion fell as the pod opened, and she struggled to catch the tall boy as he fell. She couldn't, and the two fell to the ground.</p><p>"Brion?" she whispered. "Brion?"</p><p>Emori watched, eyes narrowed, while Dick freed Connor. Brion was coughing up the black liquid, but he only fell unconscious again seconds later.</p><p>"We're shutting this place down, destroying every ounce of tar," Dick said. </p><p>"I'll show you how."</p><p>"Go give Artemis and Lightning back-up," Dick said. "Hurry."</p><p>Emori held a hand to her comm as she sprinted out the door to see Artemis, Lightning, and an unknown girl in Super Cycle, failing to fight off a red monster-like creature and multiple people with high-powered weapons. "I'm here!"</p><p>"Get the kids!" Lightning yelled, his voice piercing in her ear. "Get the pods before they take them!"</p><p>Emori nodded, taking off toward the pods, where Vertigo and one of his henchman were. "Hi, Vertigo," she greeted. "You're looking rough. Is war criminal life not treating you well?"</p><p>It had the desired effect, and Emori disappeared, leaving his powers useless, as he took out two of his henchman and subsequently Bedlam in his haste to find her. They all yelled in outrage, Bedlam yelling for them to send the shipment, and Emori decided to do a last-ditch effort.</p><p>She desperately shot out a beam of energy, blasting the pods, scattering them on the rail road. She could get to them before they could put them back on the train. She spared a look at Vertigo and paled once she saw the device in his hands.</p><p>The boomtube went off, and Emori let out a scream as she was knocked backward into a metal pole, pain firing through her back as she fell face-first into the ground. Hot wind rumbled over her as the boomtube came to a close, and for a split-second she debated on not getting up before she remembered what was at stake.</p><p>She got to her feet, limping, her nose questionably intact and bleeding into her mouth as she stumbled forward to the edge of the ledge, right above the rails where the boomtube had come from. She couldn't see Vertigo, he must have fled, but she could see it.</p><p>One pod, scattered too far from the rest to be pulled into the boomtube's path.</p><p>"One's left!" she yelled, spitting out blood in the process. "Guys, there's one left!"</p><p>Super-Cycle appeared beside her, the others in it, and they all scrambled out toward the tube.</p><p>"Is the kid alive?" Jeff yelled as Artemis fired an arrow at a henchman. "Are they okay?"</p><p>"I don't know!" Jace yelled. "I cannot see them!" </p><p>They couldn't open the pod, they didn't have the technology to do so. Time was speeding up, if they didn't get out soon, they'd be trapped. Connor, coming to the same conclusion as her, slammed his fist down as softly as he could, shattering the glass entirely, the liquid spewing out to reveal a girl.</p><p>She was a few inches shorter than Emori, tan, and something about her made Emori's chest ache. She seemed so young, it made Emori shiver at the thought of how many kids were younger than her, forced into the same thing as her.</p><p>Connor hauled the girl over his shoulder and they scrambled back into the Super Cycle. "Go!" he yelled. "Super Cycle, go!"</p><p>They vanished through a chasm in the floor, the wind blowing her hair back as they sped along. She looked over at the girl, and as forceful as if someone had hit her, she wondered: is that how people thought she looked, in her time?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>"WE'VE GOT THE</em></b> evidence we need to bring down DeLamb and all of Bedlam. Dr Jace's testimony will seal the deal."</p><p>"We lost seven kids!" Jeff yelled. "Plus that . . . that Plasmus kid they have their hooks into!" </p><p>"We got one, didn't we?" Emori yelled, pain flaring in her entire body at the sudden jerk she gave. She could tell by everyone's surprised look that she looked wild, with her hair askew and dried blood all over her face, her nose at an odd angle. "That's one less kid turned into one of their pawns! And we got the prince and the other girl! That's something."</p><p>She was shaking--with anger or adrenaline she wasn't sure--right as Brion let out a cry, scrambling away from Jace. "You get away from me," he gasped out.</p><p>"Brion, please! Calm--"</p><p>She put a hand on his shoulder and he began to yell in protest, but his skin burnt her hand as he stalked away. "Who are you people?" he yelled, his feet sizzling against the ground, sinking himself deeper into it.</p><p>"What . . . What is happening?" he yelled, scrambling forward, only to bury himself deeper. He vanished underneath and Emori's breath caught in her chest until he appeared yards away, only from the waist up.</p><p>He screamed something in Marokvian at first, helplessly desperate. "Help me! Help me!"</p><p>"You must calm down!" Jace yelled, kneeling near him. "Your meta-gene has been activated. Your body is now manipulating geologic forces."</p><p>"Make it stop! Make it stop!"</p><p>Superbody slid to a kneel, nearly running into the trail of lava Brion had made. "The more you panic, the less control you'll have. Focus on your breathing. Just focus on controlling your breath.</p><p>He breathed out shakily, the lava ceasing to a black, hardened substance.</p><p>Abruptly, Artemis pulled out a holographic screen on her arm, her eyes glowing purple. <em>Barbara</em>, Barbara had sent her a message. It was a news station, displaying Baron DeLamb, a small screen beside him with footage she couldn't make out.</p><p>"This footage shows Prince Brion undergoing an illegal meta-gene activation." She recognized it now. He must have swiped a tape in the middle of the fight. "This evidence <em>irrefutably</em> links Brion Markov to meta-human trafficking in Markovia, and quite possibly to the abduction of his own sister, Princess Tara. And given their stance against meta-trafficking, Brion is most likely responsible for the assassination of his own parents, King Viktor and Queen Ilona."</p><p>Brion stood, burnt lava still shrouding his skin. "<em>Lies!</em>"</p><p>He started to run, disappearing into the ground, the line of magma trailing ahead.</p><p>"This just keeps getting worse," Jeff huffed.</p><p>"Following him with infrared," Connor informed. "He's headed for the palace. I'll try to cut him--"</p><p>The sound of a boomtube opening filled Emori's ears and she turned, right as Vertigo, a few of his henchman, Ecks and 'Plasmus' walked through it.</p><p>"And he used a Fatherbox to track Super Cycle," Artemis concluded, sounding like she wished she didn't.</p><p>"S.B.!" Dick said. "We'll protect the doctor and the girls. Get Brion."</p><p>With a grunt, Connor was off in the air.</p><p>Vertigo laughed cruelly. "Sending your heavy hitter away? Not very good at this game, are you? I see you're down one Superboy. I'll raise you, one, two, three, four . . ."</p><p>Emori groaned as Ecks turned into four people, phasing apart it seemed. A meta-human, too.</p><p>"Well," Artemis huffed as she got into a stance, "now we know why he's called <em>Count </em>Vertigo."</p><p>"We're outnumbered," Lightning observed.</p><p>"Then let's level the playing field."</p><p>When Dick threw down the smoke bomb Emori disappeared, sparing one glance toward the two girls, only to find that neither of them were there.</p><p>"Mother<em>fucker!</em>" she groaned, bringing up a fist to one of Ecks' face. He stumbled backward, and she continued, knocking the gun-like weapon out of his hands. He caught her on the nose and she cried out, tears springing to her eyes as she shot out a burst of energy, dissipating the fake Ecks.</p><p>She caught sight of the girl, the one from the pod, and she sprinted forward, grabbing the girl's shoulder. The girl screamed, hitting her hand away, her dark hair immediately turning a shade of grey.</p><p>"Shit," Emori whispered. The smoke was burning her eyes slightly, and her nose and back were throbbing with pain, but the newly-activated meta-teen was more important. "Hi, I'm not gonna hurt you. What's your name? Do you know your name?"</p><p>The girl said something, but Emori didn't recognize any of it. Distinctly, though she could make out the language: Tagalog. Or it was something along the lines. Her memories from when she was younger were blurred, and she couldn't remember if that's what it was called, and she didn't remember a word of the handfuls her father had taught her, and she definitely knew that the words coming out of her mouth weren't understandable.</p><p>"Do you speak English?" Emori asked. "Please, please speak English."</p><p>The girl blinked, as if it had flicked a switch in her brain. "English," she whispered, slightly unsure of her words. "Yes, yes, English."</p><p>"Oh thank God," Emori whispered. "It's dangerous right now, I need to move you somewhere safer. Do you understand me?"</p><p>"Understand," the girl nodded. "Yes."</p><p>"Great." She went to guide the girl along, but suddenly, they fell to their knees, a scream rippling past Emori's lips. For an awful second she thought it was The Reach, the pain awfully similar to their electric tortures, but she realized it was Vertigo when it stopped and she heard his groan of pain.</p><p>"Dr. Jace?" Artemis called out. "Halo-Girl?"</p><p>A scream ripped through the air, harsh and guttural, and Emori gasped in horror, tears leaping to her eyes as she saw Halo-Girl, Plasmus' hand closed around her head, and she didn't have to hear the rest to know that her screams had ceased and the sizzling was gone.</p><p>Instead, she turned to the girl, hoping her smile was as calming as she was trying for, despite her misshapen nose and glassy eyes. "Hey, there. Do you know your name? Name?" At the last part, she pointed, hoping the girl would understand some of what she said.</p><p>"Reyna," she said. "My name is Reyna."</p><p>"Reyna, hi," she said. "My name--well, I can't say right now, maybe later. But you can call me Hood until then, okay?"</p><p>Reyna didn't seem to quite understand, but Emori took it as a win. She heard Artemis and Dr. Jace's gasps and she turned, quick as a bullet, to see Halo-Girl, sitting straight up--<em>alive</em>--half of her face burnt off.</p><p>"No kill," Halo-Girl said. "No dead. Not dead. Me!"</p><p>She glowed purple until she was reformed, as if it had never happened, aside from her burnt jacket and entirely-gone hijab. Emori was weary, but she still stepped forward, taking her jacket off and handing it to the girl.</p><p>"Here," she said. "You might get cold."</p><p>It was the end of July, it wasn't cold at all, but the girl still took the jacket gratefully and shrugged it on.</p><p>The smoke was beginning to dissipate, and with it Emori could see that Reyna was fighting several Ecks with what seeming like smoke unfurling off of her palms. She hurled it wildly, screaming, desperate as they began to choke on it.</p><p>Emori sprinted over, blasting the Ecks until they were all gone. Reyna blinked, panting, an understanding of thanks passing through them. "Come on," she said. "Let's go find the others. I think you'll like them."</p><p>Reyna followed behind, hesitant, but trusting. Emori arrived right as Vertigo and one of his henchman crossed through a boomtube, but there was nothing she could do to stop them. The others were already there, save for Connor and Brion, and Dick was dragging an unconscious Ecks behind him. Plasmus, too, was there, calmer than ever before.</p><p>She remembered what Dick had said, that the one on Rann had been a meta-teen, too. That maybe they were related. The thought made her chest ache.</p><p>"Hey," she greeted softly, taking a step forward. "We're gonna--"</p><p>Emori let out a scream as Plasmus fell, inches from her, hardening into black magma. <em>Someone had killed them</em>. Someone had shot them, right in front of her eyes, as she was trying to tell them they were there to help.</p><p>She let out a sob, the tears burning the cuts on her face, and before she knew it Dick was there, Ecks forgotten as her wrapped her in his arms. She shook as she grabbed onto him, the rough material of his suit against her calloused palms. Her chest ached awfully, an image playing in her head on repeat of them getting shot, falling in front of her, as she watched and did nothing.</p><p>"It's okay," Dick whispered. "You did everything you could."</p><p>"And they're <em>dead</em>," she gasped. "I did everything I could, and they <em>died</em>."</p><p>That's why she had left being a hero. She had become numb to that heartbreak, the heartbreak of watching the life go out in someone's eyes to the point that she herself was the one taking it. </p><p>Despite that, Emori knew, right there in that moment what had to be done. She wouldn't let any more people die, not when she could stop it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Freedom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI FROWNED, PRESSED THE GREEN BUTTON AGAIN, AND GROANED WHEN IT WENT BACK TO A DENIED CALL. </b>She angrily typed out a very colorful message, clicked send, and received an answer two minutes later.</p><p><em>GUN-MAN:</em> First: that's some strong language for someone who knows Dick is sitting in front of me. Second: no, I am not letting you Face-Time me as we fight crime.</p><p><em>DUMBASS:</em> hear me out! strap me to your utility belt and video everything, i can help you out, like scream if someone's coming at you. please, it's so boring, i can't watch another minute of gar's tv show</p><p><em>GUN-MAN:</em> I thought you liked his show?</p><p><em>DUMBASS: </em>yea i lied it is ass. the only good thing is gar and that really cute boy that he says is super mean.</p><p><em>GUN-MAN:</em> Oh shit, Will just jumped out the window, I gotta gouehrtg</p><p>Emori wanted to know how Roy had sent that text, if maybe he'd been thrown out of the car window and his phone decided to take pity on his dignity and send the text for him. She wasn't quite sure, she only knew that she desperately wanted to be with them. Emori didn't get much of the details, both Roy and Dick refused to give them to her when they left, only that they were going to stop a heist, which seemed much more exciting than Space Trek 3016 and microwaved Ramen.</p><p>While going would be slightly problematic for her, since Will--or R.A., in her future--would be there, she liked to think she wanted to go for the adventure and satisfaction of taking down corrupt people, but she knew part of her wanted to see Will, or R.A., or whatever she was supposed to call him. As Dick visited him more as he recovered from his addiction and so forth Emori made sure to ask about it but keep her distance. She didn't need to see him, it would hinder what she liked to call "progress."</p><p>Staring down at her Ramen, she frowned, thinking its acidic chicken taste rivaled the gruel in the labor camps before it was turned into cubes. She also wondered if, maybe, one of her friends wasn't busy despite it being noon on a Wednesday. Virgil and Tye would undoubtedly be in school, but Gar might be out of filming early, and since Perdita wasn't coming until the next week, he might be free. Alfred was busy, too, and she tried not to annoy the old man too much, so he was out of the question. Tim was off doing Red Robin stuff, and Bruce would most likely be working until ten again. It left her with very little options.</p><p>She stared at her phone, and for a split-second, debated on texting Bart. The thought filled her chest with a near-unbearable ache, and that's how she knew she couldn't. She wasn't sure what she would say to him, not after this long of not speaking to him. Still, part of her wanted to text him, to see if he was free, knowing that he would drop everything and be in Gotham City in seconds.</p><p>As if Gar had read her mind moments before, her phone lit up with a text from him, the background of her, Tye, and a dog that he had nick-named "Chicken Bone" from and center. </p><p><em>BB:</em> did you finish your school stuff for today?</p><p><em>EM:</em> haha no i did not, do you wanna meet in hollywood or gotham</p><p><em>BB: </em>hollywood, at that vegan taco place</p><p>When she hurried down the stairs, Alfred gave her a look, staring at her clothing choice, which was a cotton crop-top she used as pajamas and athletic shorts. "It's what people in Hollywood wear!" she protested. "They won't know I slept in this for the past two days!"</p><p>Alfred's nose wrinkled, he made a comment about her putting her dirty laundry in the bin by midnight, and Emori was down into the Batcave. She was immune to the flashy screens and elaborate trophies, too many hours spent down there in her system while she wore fluffy socks as Bruce poured over security footage or articles. He didn't like her down there, at first, but he eventually relented, even sometimes going as far as for asking for her input. They worked like misshapen gears.</p><p>She was through the Zeta-Tube within seconds of entering the Batcave and in Hollywood milliseconds after. The system still recognized her as Hood instead of a guest, something Bruce hadn't changed, and she guessed he didn't have to anymore.</p><p>Thankfully, the restaurant was on that street, because the idea of getting a taxi or Uber was exhausting. Gar was already seated when she made her way through, wearing his signature go-to disguise: sunglasses. It didn't work, since his skin was green, and Emori was convinced he did it because he thought it looked cool.</p><p>"Oh my God, your nose is even wore in person."</p><p>She rolled her eyes as she sat down. "Thanks, Gar, I really appreciate the compliment."</p><p>She had Face Timed him the night before, since they were meant to have lunch, along with Perdita, but her back was too bruised and Alfred had advised Bruce that she shouldn't go anywhere, which Bruce had followed, annoyingly enough. Perdita had said it looked "badass," but Gar kept gagging, especially when Emori poked it just to watch him freak out. He thought her making her nose translucent was "disgusting, weird, nasty" in that order.</p><p>"Vertigo really did a number on you, huh?"</p><p>"Yeah, but I cost him a couple favors from high-up people, so I think we're even for the damaged nose."</p><p>Gar took a sip of his water, giving her the<em> I'm-Garfield-Logan-and-I'm-super-wise</em> look.</p><p>"No, stop it--that was a joke, it was funny. See? Haha, laugh, very funny."</p><p>"Well, Perdita told me to tell you thanks in-person since she had to go back to Vlatava. About warning her about the whole Vertigo thing."</p><p>"Yeah, of course. I--"</p><p>The waitress came by, a radiant smile on her face as she tried to distinctly not look at Gar. "What can I get you today?"</p><p>"I'm fine," Emori said, "but he'll have something."</p><p>Gar ordered his usual, a vegan taco, which Emori thought tasted awful, and she left. Gar was used to people ignoring him because of how he looked, but Emori wasn't. She didn't like it at all.</p><p>"So, what were you saying?"</p><p>"I'm joining The Team again," she spit out, before she could take it back. "After everything before, it's time. I think I need to get back out there again, especially with what happened in Markovia."</p><p>"The Team?" Gar questioned, eyebrow raised. </p><p>"What's that for? You were the one begging me to go back when you were still on it. What's the big deal now?"</p><p>"I don't know, maybe the two people you're ignoring like the plague?" he suggested. "Or one of them?"</p><p>"First of all," she said, pointing her straw at him, "rude. Second of all, that doesn't matter. There's bigger things at stake than--than stupid things like that."</p><p>Gar fiddled with the napkin absentmindedly, turning it into intricate shapes and taking it apart again and again. "Emori, what happened between you guys? You were best friends, and you were starting to like Jaime--"</p><p>"It's stupid," she said, brushing him off. "It was just a stupid mistake, and now it's weird between us. And Jaime wasn't ever really my friend, he was Bart's. I've never . . . I've gotten past what he was to me, in the future, but not enough to want to be friends with him outside of everyone else. There's just no need for it, any of it."</p><p>Gar clearly wanted to push, but he didn't. Emori never asked if Bart told anyone what happened, it wasn't her business, but she guessed that Gar didn't know. She felt bad, it had to be awful for him to see some of his best friends split apart so suddenly without any warning or explanation, but it was how it was. He'd get used to it, eventually.</p><p>"So you're going back to Hood, then?"</p><p>"I-I think so," she said. "I'm not sure. I mean, the name means a lot to me, but I'm not sure? Hood was a scared kid who just wanted to stop everyone from dying, and I don't think that's me anymore. At least, I hope not."</p><p>"It'll always be you," Gar said, a bit too casually. "That's who you are, even back then. You wanted to save everyone, to stop what happened to you from happening to everyone. Now it's just a different thing, but you still want to stop it from happening to people."</p><p>"You're right, I just . . . I don't know. It feels like I've outgrown it? But at the same time it doesn't? I don't know what to do."</p><p>"Is there anything else you can think of? A name that someone else used when you were a kid?"</p><p>Gar didn't know who used "Hood," he only knew someone did, and that she took inspiration from the name. But he was right, it would be easier just to take one that wouldn't be used anymore.</p><p>"Target," Emori suddenly said. "Target, that's the name."</p><p>"Target?" Gar repeated, confused. "Isn't that kinda jinxing yourself?"</p><p>"No it's--in the future, or my future, whatever, that's what we called the the Resisters." At Gar's still-confused look, she explained further. "There were these people, called the League of Resistance, fighting against The Reach. Most of them were wiped out by the time that I got to the camps, but that's what we called them, or what the people in the camps called them. That's what they called me when I first arrived. Target."</p><p>"Wow," Gar breathed out. "That's . . . kinda dark. Weren't you nine?"</p><p>"That's not the point," she said, giving him a wave of her hand. "But it works. No one will get it, but it makes sense. It's like . . . reclaiming the thing you thought was bad once you've realized what it truly meant. That makes sense, right?"</p><p>"Kinda."</p><p>The waitress brought the food, gave a jerky nod as Gar said thank you, and the two were left in silence, aside from the crinkling of the plate's paper.</p><p>"So," Gar said after he swallowed a bite, "you're going back to being a hero. For real this time."</p><p>"Yep." She bit the inside of her cheek. "For however long it lasts."</p><p>For once, Emori felt like everything might be okay.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Delayed Signs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>DESPITE IT BEING A SATURDAY, BRUCE WAS STILL WORKING, ANSWERING PHONE CALLS WITH A SCOWL ON HIS FACE.</b> He had come back into the kitchen from the door that led outside for the sixth time, pocketing his phone, which would no doubt be taken out sooner rather than later. She understood why her dad said it sometimes felt like a home of ghosts.</p><p>"You were texting someone?" Bruce tried conversationally. "Tye, again?"</p><p>"No, M'gann." She chewed diligently at her bottom lip. "I joined The Team. Again. I know that you quit--resigned, whatever--from the Justice League, and everyone else from our side went with but . . . I don't know, something about Markovia, seeing what was going down all around us, seeing that kid dead--I can't not do anything. If I didn't do anything I might as well side with The Light."</p><p>Bruce stood, the gears in his head turning, his face slightly blank but conflicted. "While I did not know you went to Markovia until last night, I can respect it. But this . . . I don't think it's the best choice."</p><p>"<em>Bruce,</em>" she said, "I have to. You have to understand that."</p><p>"What made you leave everything hero-related behind, I-I cannot let that happen again." Her lip was starting to bleed from how hard she was chewing it. "I've watched you grow, learn how to accept things, how to be open to us. I don't want to see all that progress go to waste."</p><p>"I know, but--"</p><p>"You came after Tim was already Robin, long after, and everything was settled. But before him there was Jason, I'm sure you knew that, you went to the Grotto at the Cave, where his memorial was before it was moved to the Watchtower." Bruce took a deep breath, letting it go until his shoulders nearly slumped, an uncharacteristic trait for the usually professional man. "Even though the stain isn't in your bathroom's tile anymore, I still remember what it looked like, how you were too out of it to say anything more than 'I'm sorry.'"</p><p>Emori shut her eyes tightly until she saw stars behind her eyelids. "I'm better, I promise. I can do this without freaking out again. I'm better."</p><p>"Are you?"</p><p>She opened her eyes to stare at his chest, unable to meet his eyes. "I am. I have to get going, they leave in twenty."</p><p>She stood, blinking back tears, and Bruce didn't say a word as she hurried up the grand staircase, but she knew he wanted to. She knew an entire essay of emotions was coiled tightly inside his bones, waiting to break free, words that would never be let free. He was an intricate puzzle, but sometimes Emori wanted it to be complete instead of unfinished.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>"EMORI, MEGAN SAID</em></b> you were coming!" Reyna nearly went in for a hug but decided not to at the last moment, instead giving her a high-five. "Your suit it--it looks good."</p><p>Emori smiled. "Thank you! Dick made it for me, but the jacket was my touch. It adds a bit more . . . me to it."</p><p>Reyna knew more English than they thought. She had been in shock, mixed with the trauma that the tar caused on her body, resulting in her having slightly memory loss for several days. But, mostly everything had come back to her, and they knew that her name was Reyna Ramos, she had a mother, father, and brother, and that she lived in the Philippines and came to New York City for a supposed scholarship at a bogus college, where she was taken. </p><p>On top of that, Reyna had been staying with Megan and Connor in Happy Harbor, along with Brion, and Emori came over as frequent as she could in the past few days, sometimes doing her schoolwork at their house, too. Megan insisted that Reyna needed a friend, and while Brion was her age instead of three years younger, they had nothing in common. Emori didn't mind, she found Reyna nice to be around, and rather comforting, in an odd way.</p><p>"A mission," Reyna said, looking at her suit. "To where?"</p><p>"Well, with that guy," Emori said, subtly gesturing to the giant man named Bear standing a few yards from them. "And M'gann, and The Team, once they get here."</p><p>Reyna nodded. "When you come back, are you going home?"</p><p>"I'll stay for a few hours, don't worry."</p><p>Reyna smiled, and it made Emori feel better about herself, lighter than before.</p><p>Until she heard laughter that was abruptly cut short. Rather awkwardly, The Team made it over to them, now consisting of a member that hadn't been there the last time Emori had seen them. Traci, or Thirteen, who Virgil said was now Jaime's girlfriend. Virgil was there, too, along with Cassie, Jaime, and Bart.</p><p>"Friends?" Reyna questioned, noticing how Virgil gave her a thumbs up.</p><p>"Y-Yeah, friends."</p><p>She and Bart were still staring, wide-eyed, and while Emori knew he might be coming, she guessed he had absolutely no idea that she was joining The Team again. He looked like someone had just shot him, and Emori had to tear her eyes away as Bear opened the boomtube.</p><p>Emori walked through the boomtube, giving a wave of goodbye to Reyna as Virgil jogged to catch up to her. She had never used a boomtube before, and there was a distinct pulling sensation that reminded her of when she was in the time travel machine. They landed four feet above the ground and M'gann levitated them down safely, but Emori still stumbled, her skin hot to the touch.</p><p>"Em, you okay?" Virgil questioned, putting a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, brushing her hair out of her face. "It's just something about my powers that makes traveling like that weird. It used to happen with Zeta-Beams, too."</p><p>She noticed Bart staring, and she could distinctly see the glare in his gaze so she shrugged Virgil's shoulder off nonchalantly. "So, uh, what next?"</p><p>"We go find the Forager Bug and where the monsters were seen," Bear announced, his booming voice shaking her entire body. </p><p>They followed behind him, the Motherbox announcing which way to turn, though Emori didn't understand anything it meant. Virgil kept absentmindedly creating static in his hands, going as far as to make it go from one hand to the other.</p><p>Emori rolled her eyes. "if you don't stop that, I'm gonna turn you invisible."</p><p>Virgil struggled to hold back a smile. "You realize that's not a threat, right? That's the coolest thing I've ever done. And I'm on an <em>alien planet </em>right now."</p><p>"Other planets are overrated," Emori said absentmindedly, even though they both knew she most-certainly thought they weren't. </p><p>Virgil leaned over to whisper in her ear, cupping a hand beside his mouth so it wasn't readable. "Uh, I don't wanna cause any drama, but Bart keeps staring at us, and I never thought that guy could be creepy, but he definitely is."</p><p>"Just ignore that," she huffed. "It's nothing."</p><p>"Mhm."</p><p>Emori wished she had chose friends other than two people trained by superheroes to read people and a very, very judgy teenager. Tye was the worst, but she wished he was here instead, even though he never did anything hero-related, because despite his hotheaded temper he always made situations easier.</p><p>"This is where the Forager Bug said they encountered the monsters," Bear said to M'gann. "Do you sense any past Earthling activity?"</p><p>"It doesn't really work like that," M'gann explained.</p><p>"It's so moded Robin's not here for the whole detective thing," Bart sighed. "He'd pick up on all the clues."</p><p>Cassie scoffed. "Fewer than you think."</p><p>"Tell me about it," M'gann sighed. "Super-hearing, super-sight, super-oblivious."</p><p>"Yeah, Bats do miss some things," Bart agreed. Emori's eyes widened to the size of small planets and she blinked, dumb-founded, as she turned to give him a piece of her mind.</p><p>"Attack!"</p><p>Suddenly, four bug-like creatures were running toward them. They were tall, much taller than Emori, with armor-like skin, and three were orange while one was bright green. They had to be the things that Bear was talking about.</p><p>Emori stepped forward, hands raised to form a blockade, but something rough and forceful pushed her to the side, the air catching in her lungs so suddenly she couldn't even let out a yelp as she hit the ground. She groaned, just barely catching herself from falling on her nose again.</p><p>"Stop, stop!"</p><p>She got to her feet to see another bug, much smaller than the others, and a darker orange than the rest. He looked . . . dorky, compared to them.</p><p>"Why does Forager protect the enemy?" the green bug questioned, taking off his helmet.</p><p>"Forager asked the New God Bear to come," 'Forager' answered. "To help."</p><p>"The Hive has no need of New Gods! Bear is likely friend to Orion!"</p><p>"I am friend to Orion," Bear said. "But the Orion you met was an imposter. The <em>real </em>Orion is away from New Genesis."</p><p>"Of course a New God would say that to protect another New God."</p><p>"The Orion you met was not a New God," M'gann said, stepping in. "Orion is not on New Genesis. The Orion you met--and the two creatures he brought with him--weren't from New Genesis."</p><p>The green bug seemed hesitant, defensive. "Then where are they from?"</p><p>"We're not sure," M'gann said. "But we know that isn't Orion, and what they did was wrong. We want to help. To help all of you."</p><p>The bug scanned the area skeptically. "We will get revenge on this false Orion?"</p><p>"Um, yes. If you help us with getting to him, I'll make sure that you get the justice you deserve."</p><p>They didn't understand that wasn't revenge, but they were satisfied. "Then to Orion!"</p><p>Bear seemed to want to argue that it wasn't Orion, but he didn't.</p><p>"Well, that went well," Virgil sighed. "Right?"</p><p>"Maybe," Emori said quietly, chewing her lip nervously. "Those two people with him, they're meta-teens, they have to be. Probably the ones from Markovia. It's my fault they're here, that this happened."</p><p>"It isn't. You saved Reyna, right? And if you did get all of the meta-teens, they would have just sent more. You did everything you could."</p><p>She wasn't convinced, but she didn't want to argue over it.</p><p><em>Alright, team,</em> M'gann said in the newly-formed mind-link. <em>We're following Mantis and his people to Orion. Remember they're all meta-teens, this isn't their choice.</em></p><p>That note immediately turned Emori's mood even worse than it already was, and Virgil looked like he desperately wanted to comment on how she felt, but he didn't. The others might have thought that she was just being translucent for the sake of camouflage, but Virgil knew that even as Emori mastered her powers to her best ability, she still let the smoke seep off in that way, almost unaware that it was even happening.</p><p>She tried not to think about the fact that Bart no doubt knew, too. He was the one who pointed out that she vanished when she was scared. She pushed the thought away once again as the other started to mill about, formulating the plan.</p><p>Emori didn't try to heavily involve herself in the mission, it wasn't hers to do so. She had quite--or retired, as Dick tried to put it--from The Team two years before, nearly down to the date. She didn't work with this new version, so she'd try to make a place on it. And if she couldn't, she knew that Dick's offer to join him as a partner was still there. She wasn't sure it would work, but she liked to think it would.</p><p>She remembered the techniques Bruce had taught her, the ones that she said were stupid and would never work. He'd recognized the way she clenched her fists entirely too hard, or how she'd scratch her wrist for a few minutes too long. He gave her better ways, like focusing on the sounds around you, picking your favorite, and focusing. Or thinking about a happy memory, no matter who it was with or what happened to them, and how it felt in that moment.</p><p>The last one always worked. She always thought of when she was young, nearly too young to remember, when her dad and Artemis were still alive. The redheaded Amazonian was brash, and a bit too head-strong, but what she could remember of her was good. R.A. was there, too, before his hair had started to grey, when it was a deep auburn color. It was Emori's birthday, a thing they had all forgotten for so long, and a day that forgot afterward when they lost track of the days and seasons. But that day was the best of her life. They ate candy, something she'd never had before, they told stories of life before The Reach, of the Justice League and their families, and even her mother.</p><p>It worked, and Emori walked back to The Team, who had formed a plan and were hiding behind a cluster of trees and bushes. She didn't ask why, she only sat alongside them.</p><p><em>Good to see you again,</em> Cassie said, genuine.</p><p><em>Nice of you to join us</em>.</p><p>Emori shot a glare Bart's way, and while it was withering and made him look away, it didn't make her feel any better like she hoped it would. Her throat was burning, but she chalked it up to be the lack of water she'd drank that day, no doubt another day of accidental dehydration.</p><p><em>When this "Orion" gets here, </em>M'gann cut in, <em>we can communicate without him knowing</em>.</p><p>She could feel the very distant weight of the other bugs in the mind-link. </p><p><em>And pay the New God back for New God treachery,</em> Mantis growled</p><p><em>He wasn't a real New God!</em> Bear protested from his crouching position, but it had no effect.</p><p>Three people came down from the city in the sky--New Genesis, Emori could only guess--on what looked like scooters. She didn't know what they were, and she didn't ask. One was a mostly humanoid creature with a metal helmet while one was tall, shaped oddly, and grey, with a vaguely human face, and a small white creature with red bubbles across its skin, entirely unlike a human.</p><p>She wasn't sure if any of them were meta-teens, but with what she had seen in her life, she wouldn't be surprised.</p><p><em>Is that him? </em>Virgil asked. <em>And his pet monsters?</em></p><p><em>Meta-humans, not monsters,</em> M'gann corrected. <em>Wearing control devices.</em></p><p>Emori strained her ears to hear what Orion or any of the bugs were saying, but she couldn't make any of it out. The others could, but she felt weak for having to ask for help, so she didn't. She wasn't quite sure when it started, if it had always been like that, or after she came to the past, but she couldn't hear like everyone else could. It had gotten worse after an explosion nearly a year before, but Emori refused to believe there was anything that needed to be addressed. </p><p><em>I'm sensing a psychic wave, </em>M'gann said. <em>This "Orion" is using telepathy to intentionally fan the flames of the bug's anger. There's something familiar about his mind-touch . . .</em></p><p>M'gann, who had taken the form of one of the bugs, abruptly shifted into her Martian form, making Cassie throw her hands up in confusion as M'gann floated away. <em>What is she doing?</em></p><p><em>No idea,</em> Virgil said, accidentally hitting his head on the tree behind him as he leaned back.</p><p>
  <em>Team. Stay put.</em>
</p><p><em>Uh, but the mission? </em>Blue said. <em>Miss Mar--</em> He cut himself off with a huff. "I think she shut us out."</p><p>Emori turned to Virgil as everyone stood, conversing with each other in confusion, trying to form a plan. "Hi," she greeted, smiling slightly-nervous. "Do you have any idea what the fuck any of them just said."</p><p>Virgil snorted and failed to try to cover it with his hand. "Orion came and the bugs said they had food for him. He got all high 'n mighty and said he wouldn't eat their food, that they needed something worth his time. Then Miss Martian just left. I don't know."</p><p>Emori bit her lip, moving it between her teeth. "She said there was something familiar about his touch. Maybe she knows him? Or them?"</p><p>"A Martian?" Virgil suggested.</p><p>"I don't know, maybe."</p><p>Cassie walked over, followed by Jaime close behind. "You think it could be a Martian?"</p><p>Emori stalled for a few seconds one she realized everyone was looking at her. "Uh--maybe, I'm not sure. But she said she recognized their telepathy, or whatever. Wouldn't that take a while to recognize, even with how powerful she is? I don't know, it's just weird."</p><p>"Really weird," Cassie agreed.</p><p>"We should go," Traci said. "Like, right now."</p><p>"Why?" Emori asked, looking around for whatever made the girl's eyes widen.</p><p>"Those guys that came with Orion? I think they realized he's not coming back."</p><p>"<em>Shit</em>."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>EMORI WOULD HAVE</b></em> been one of the first at the scene, if she thought it was possible to hitch hike off of Bart. It seemed unlikely, so she stuck to sprinting straight through trees, ending up to be the fourth person, after Cassie, who could<em> fly</em>.</p><p>"Disobeyed your orders!" Bart chirped. "Sorry-not-sorry."</p><p><em>Thank you, </em>M'gann said. <em>Keep the metas busy. I have my own battle to fight.</em></p><p>As M'gann and the other White Martian's eyes glowed green, Emori narrowly dodged a fist from the grey meta. Before she could get back to them, they were already on their scooters-of-death, firing beams of neon green energy down onto them.</p><p>"Oh, just great!" she yelled as she ducked behind a tree. "My one weakness, damn energy scooters from hell!"</p><p>"I think I can help," Traci said, a smile on her face from Emori's previous comment. </p><p>"You sure?"</p><p>"Zatanna's been teaching me focus."</p><p>Traci raised her arms and a near-invisible purple energy shot forward, hitting the metas on the scooters, and causing their scooters to malfunction, making them plummet out of the air and onto the ground.</p><p>While Cassie and Virgil were working on the grey one, Emori burst forward toward the other one, meeting Jaime halfway, his shadow on the ground beside her from where he was hovering in the air above her. "You on?"</p><p>"Yep!"</p><p>Together, they fired upon the white meta, gentle enough that it wouldn't hurt them awfully, but enough that it would incapacitate them.</p><p>"Hood, go help Bart with those bugs!"</p><p>"It's Target, now!" she yelled in response. She turned to see the bugs in some awful circle form, rolling across the ground like an armadillo of death while Bart decided to handle them.</p><p>He knocked two to the side, into the trees, but Emori saw it coming as it happened, too far to do much. She shot out her hand, tendrils of energy shooting forward to knock the green bug back from rolling clean over Bart. The bug was sprawled against a tree, where it had hit its head, and seemed to be unconscious. But she didn't doubt they would be up soon.</p><p>Another bug came rolling ahead and she raised her arm, but it abruptly stopped, forming back into its original form. "It is Forager!" they yelled, hands raised in mock-surrender. "Forager came to help Earthlings!"</p><p>"Oh, uh--uh, thanks, Forager?"</p><p>She wasn't quite sure what to say, but Forager seemed harmless. She knew not to get too comfortable, she had just met the alien creature, but he seemed too innocent. He even wore <em>goggles</em>. It was probably not the right thing to think, but he reminded her of her hermit crab, Danny.</p><p>Emori looked around to find everyone on The Team--including Bear and Forager--making their way to M'gann and the White Martian, who were still engaged in a telepathic battle.</p><p>"How long does this usually take?" Virgil asked, pointing to them.</p><p>"No idea," Jaime said. "I've never seen this before."</p><p>"Gar did," Emori supplied, surprised at how she felt nearly foreign to the words. "Back on The Reach ship, when we were all taken as--as test subjects, or whatever you wanna call it, he saw her do it. He said it can go on for hours, if they're both powerful enough. Sometimes longer."</p><p>"<em>Hours?</em>" Cassie repeated. "Those bugs'll be up in minutes!"</p><p>"I can turn us all invisible and hide?" Emori suggested. Virgil went to nod in agreement but quickly changed his mind once he saw Cassie's firm no. "But we gotta do something with these metas, they'll wake up soon."</p><p>Cassie looked at the two unconscious metas, a mix of emotions on her face. "Alright. This should hold."</p><p>She wrapped her rope--or lasso, Emori wasn't sure which--around the metas and a tree, tying them to it.</p><p>"Uh, guys," Bart said, "I don't wanna ruin this whole 'we did it' thing, but, uh the bugs are waking up."</p><p>Emori's eyes went wide and she turned to see the three orange ones sturring, but thankfully the blow to the tree still left Mantis under. </p><p>"Forager will speak with them," Forager said with a firm nod and a clicking sound. "They will listen to Forager, Forager is their hive mate."</p><p>He left, hurrying off to them, and Emori didn't try to listen out for what they were saying as it seemed like it was going well by the way they listened to him. She doubted it would be that way when Mantis woke, but it was alright for the moment.</p><p>Abruptly, the White Martian fell to their knees, and Emori became translucent for a second out of fright. M'gann shifted back into the form she used on missions, a grim look on her face. "It is over."</p><p>"Is it?" the White Martian challenged. "Your love makes you weak, sister. And easy to hurt." Their eyes narrowed. "Failsafe omega. <em>Die</em>."</p><p>Emori watched in horror as the metas shook wildly, the bubbles on one's skin bursting entirely until their mouth foamed, while the grey one seemed to melt. She looked away, suddenly feeling the need to throw herself into the nearest tree until the image was out of her mind.</p><p>For a brief moment she tuned everything out, blankly staring at the ground, and she didn't come to until she heard Forager let out a yell as something hit his helmet. She turned to see the White Martian gone and instead Mantis, facing Forager angrily.</p><p>"Forager is a race traitor," they said. "Forager has no place in the hive."</p><p>"This isn't Forager's fault," M'gann tried. "Please understand, that was never Orion. It was a Martian, feeding your hate, trying to start a war between the bugs and the New Gods."</p><p>"<em>Lies!</em>" Mantis yelled. "New Gods want bugs dead!"</p><p>"No," M'gann said. "The Martian was manipulating you psychically."</p><p>"This Martian is manipulating Mantis psychically!" they yelled. "Hive will not listen to Martians, Earthers, New Gods or traitors! If hive sees <em>any</em> of you again . . . any of you! Hive will end you."</p><p>With a hiss, Mantis left, leaving Forager sadly clicking to himself.</p><p>Virgil walked over to her, resting a hand on her elbow, the familiar little shock emitting from him like it always did. "Hey, you okay?"</p><p>"Yeah, I'm fine, I just--it's been so long since I've seen anyone die, I guess, I forgot what it felt like."</p><p>"I hope I never get used to it."</p><p>Emori caught Bart staring at her. "Yeah, me too."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Bindings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>IN THE MIDDLE OF EMORI'S EPISODE OF THE OFFICE, HER PHONE RANG.</b> It was midnight, and she assumed it would be Tye, since he was the only one that ever called without telling her that late, but it wasn't.</p><p>"Hello?"</p><p>"It's Dick," they said. "Come to Connor and M'gann's. ASAP."</p><p>"Why? What's wrong?" She was already up off her bed. "What happened? Are Reyna and the others okay?"</p><p>"They're fine--or they will be." He sighed deeply. "I told Brion that we had a possible lead on his sister, that she might be with The Shadows. And he decided to go to Infinity Island to find her himself."</p><p>Emori stopped short, her face pale. "I-Infinity Island? As in--"</p><p>"Yes. We don't have much time, get your suit and meet us here as soon as you can."</p><p>"Alright, just--just don't leave without me, I'll be there."</p><p>She hurried, nearly falling over as she pulled on her suit, her mind moving too fast and her hands shaking too much that she barely tied her shoelaces. As she ran down the stairs and into the Cave she didn't remember that her face was still bare, only that she had to get there before they left.</p><p>Tim and Bruce were in the Cave, pouring over security footage of a home invasion in Gotham City that they thought was linked to the Talons. They both had a large mug of coffee, though Tim's was going cold on the desk and Bruce's was in his hands, nearly empty.</p><p>Tim looked at her, eyebrows pinched together. "Where are you going?'</p><p>"Uh, there's--there's a thing with Dick," she explained hurriedly as she jogged over to the Zeta-Tube. "I gotta go. Sorry!"</p><p>"You said you'd help with this case!"</p><p>"I know, I'll do it later!"</p><p>She disappeared into the Zeta-Tube, hands shaking, and with a whisper of where she intended to go, she came out in their garage. She could hear them outside of it, most likely with the Bioship, and she steeled her nerves with a deep breath an walked out.</p><p>It would be fine, it would all be fine. She didn't even know if her dad was alive again yet, for all she knew he could still be in a grave and not on Infinity Island. Yep, he wasn't alive yet, and this rescue would go smoothly.</p><p>"Hi, Wolf," she greeted, giving him an absent-minded pet on the head as she made her way over to the others. "Any sign of them?"</p><p>"They took Sphere," Connor said, clearly not happy with it. "We don't know how close they are to Infinity Island yet, but on Sphere, they might already be there."</p><p>Emori bit her lip nervously. "Do they even know who Ra's al Ghul is?" she said. "He'd kill them, in ten seconds flat. And then revive them and do it again just for fun."</p><p>Artemis grimaced. "Insightful. And Brion knows, we told him--but he's too worried about Tara. He thinks she might be there."</p><p>"Maybe. Ra's al Ghul does train the best assassins, it would make sense." She rubbed her arms, her fingers smoothing over the jacket sleeves. "Okay, let's go. Before they can cause any more damage."</p><p>Connor pointed a finger at Wolf as they climbed into the Bioship. "Stay here. Don't move."</p><p>The wolf gave a grunt and went back to sleep. Emori decided that was a good sign, and that it meant this would go well.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>"YOU'RE SURE THEY</b></em> went to Infinity Island?" M'gann asked.</p><p>"The one place we very specifically told them not to go?" Dick said. "Yep."</p><p>"Well, what goes around comes around."</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean?"</p><p>"Uh, Cadmus ring any bells?" Connor said.</p><p>Dick rested his hands behind his head as he groaned. "Oh, man. I hate being the grown-up."</p><p>"Yeah," Emori agreed, earning a few odd looks. "Okay, I'm not <em>actually</em> an adult, but I'm already out of the kids' loop. I'm like an adult in spirit."</p><p>"You're on of the kids," Jeff assured her. "Not being on The Team for awhile doesn't change that."</p><p>Emori laughed, but she didn't say anything. She didn't feel like arguing about something she'd already argued with herself over.</p><p>"I just don't get it," she huffed. "If they knew who Ra's al Ghul was, why did they go? They've seen The Light first hand--why doesn't it scare them enough not to face the guy who's basically the most dangerous man in the world?"</p><p>"It's Tara," Artemis explained, again. "We all have that person we'd risk everything for, no matter how stupid it is. I guess that's Brion's."</p><p>Emori's lip twitched. "Well, it's still stupid."</p><p>She couldn't find an argument to use, but she felt unbearably strong about it. Ra's al Ghul wasn't someone to mess with. He was dangerous, and if he wanted to, he could make your life hell on earth. Even worse--he could turn you into someone unrecognizable.</p><p>As they loomed toward the island, Emori hugged herself tightly, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She had never seen Infinity Island before, it fell long before she was born, but something was familiar about it. Like part of her was <em>meant </em>to be there. She remembered what her dad said, about the curse of the Lazarus Pit, and she wondered if it was as true as he said it was.</p><p>She nearly threw up at the thought. The idea of being tied to the Lazarus Pit in an ancient, unbreakable way was horrifying. She'd rather die than be just another servant to it.</p><p>The Bioship landed on the beach, on the rocks, and everyone started to stand. Emori followed, a bit delayed, as they walked out the door. It still didn't feel real. It felt too fast, like it was happening in milliseconds, speeding by her in a horrible way that she couldn't stop. She just wanted it to stop, for the world to make something easy for her, just once.</p><p>Dick looked to her questioningly and she shook her head, signaling that she was fine. He didn't seem to believe it. </p><p><em>So, what do we do? </em>Emori said in the mind-link. <em>We need to blow the power, it'll cut off some of their Shadow suits, since they're hooked to the grid. And all the security cameras.</em></p><p><em>Uh, alright,</em> Jeff said, confused at how she knew that. <em>I think I can do that, once we get to their main building. It's probably where they're holding the kids.</em></p><p>No one objected, and they walked silently through the jungle, Emori invisible even though she wasn't meaning to.</p><p><em>Be careful, </em>Artemis warned. <em>There's a lot worse people here than Shadows and Ra's al Ghul.</em></p><p>Talia al Ghul, for one. Her dad knew her, they were close, in some weird way that worked for them before her death. She was dangerous. Not because of her skill, but because of how smart she was. She remembered her dad saying, once, that the only person he'd met that had ever outsmarted Batman was Talia al Ghul.</p><p>She made a mental note to never meet her.</p><p><em>It's . . . quiet, </em>Connor said. <em>I barely hear anything. </em></p><p><em>That's not right,</em> Emori whispered, clenching her fists worriedly. <em>The Shadows would be everywhere. Why aren't they here?</em></p><p><em>Let's not worry about it, </em>Artemis said, but she sounded just as freaked out, too. <em>Let's get them and go, before they know we're here.</em></p><p>Emori didn't believe it was possible to make it onto Infinity Island and get out without being detected, but she didn't say that. Because explaining that her bedtime stories were ones of her dad's adventures on this island wasn't a good explanation.</p><p>A large stone building that nearly reminded her of a castle was ahead of them, where the trees cut off. She tried to swallow her nerves, but it didn't work.</p><p><em>Can you cut the power from here?</em> Dick asked.</p><p><em>I think so. </em>Emori didn't like the hesitation in Jeff's answer. <em>Just give me a second.</em></p><p>They hurried forward with him, ducking into a doorway where a keypad was. Emori's heart was thundering in her chest, like a raging storm, so loud she could hear it in her ears.</p><p><em>Hurry, </em>she whispered.</p><p>
  <em>I'm going! </em>
</p><p>The keypad sparked, the blue lights going dim on it, and she felt relief fill her chest. It was gone once Jeff tried to open the door and it didn't budge.</p><p><em>I'll just break the wall, </em>Connor suggested.</p><p><em>No, I'll shift through the wall, </em>M'gann said. <em>Open the door from the inside.</em></p><p><em>It won't work,</em> Emori sighed. <em>When the power shuts off the doors lock from the inside out, they won't open anywhere until it's turned back on. I can just turn all of you invisible long enough to go through the wall.</em></p><p>Dick shook his head. <em>You can't do that, you've never done that many people. It might make you pass out, or worse.</em></p><p><em>It's fine, </em>she insisted. <em>I can do it.</em></p><p>She didn't want to say that since they got closer to the building she felt stronger.</p><p>As they stepped near her, it was easier to focus on them, and with a few seconds of difficulty, they were all able to walk through the wall. </p><p><em>Turn us back, </em>Dick said.</p><p><em>Not until we find them,</em> she insisted.<em> I can do it for that long, just trust me. We'll be fine. It's safer if we can't be seen.</em></p><p><em>They'll be on one of the lower levels, that's where they hold the prisoners, </em>Artemis said. As if she could feel mental dirty looks, she explained. <em>I was here, one time. When I was undercover.</em></p><p>The conversation didn't continue after that, and they silently made their way down a set of stone stairs that were lit by torches. A pressure started to fill her chest as they reached the bottom of the stairs, but she chose to ignore it.</p><p>The pressure got worse as they continued down a torch-lit hallway, metal doors every few feet on each side. She didn't want to know what was behind them.</p><p>Emori set them free, as if somehow it would help the process.</p><p>M'gann abruptly stopped at one of the doors. <em>They're in here,</em> she said.<em> Their mental signatures, I can feel them behind this door.</em></p><p>Emori looked to the end of the hall where a set of steel doors were with a chain crossing over them. Something was tugging her toward it, beckoning for her to step inside. She started to walk forward, but the sound of Connor smashing down the door brought her out of the trance.</p><p>She hurried back over to them, running inside the room to Reyna. She had a cut on her cheek, and a deep bruise on her eye, nearly swelling it shut, but otherwise she looked fine.</p><p>As the others did it to everyone else, Emori gave her a sympathetic look and pushed her fingernails under the chip-like device on her neck. Reyna gasped as she pulled it off and Emori winced. "Sorry, sorry. I was hoping that'd be gentle."</p><p>"You gotta figure the Shadows are on their way," Artemis said.</p><p>"Then we gotta go." Emori helped Reyna to her feet until she could stand on her own. "I spent, like, four hours with those guys two years ago, and they freak me the hell out. I don't wanna meet them again."</p><p>That didn't seem to ease anyone's minds, and they sprinted out of the room, a frighteningly large part of Emori wanting to turn back and run into that room that was calling her. She knew what would be on the other side of that door. </p><p>They turned the wrong way, because they were down another hall instead of the one they came in from, but Emori said they couldn't waste any time trying to find the right way, and Connor kicked the door down and they stepped through. The warm air whipped at her face, and the pressure was still distant in her chest, but all that fell away.</p><p>There was a man with a weapon on his back, a man she recognized from the stories as Sensei, and a young man, a mask covering his face from the eyebrows down, a red robe hood over his head.</p><p>Emori stumbled a step back, her lips parting in shock eyes staring wide. No one seemed to notice, too preoccupied, but Emori was in a world of her own. She couldn't remember how to breathe, or blink, or think. All she could do was stare at the man that she somehow knew was her dad.</p><p>She didn't hear the conversation between anyone, all she did was stare, taking in the things she had memorized after he died, things burned into her brain, but things that were there. The broad shoulders, the stiff stance, the black hair that was slightly wild and came down into his eyes.</p><p>What finally brought her back was everyone surging forward, weapons raised. She didn't think about what she was doing, she only knew that she had to be the one that fought him, to make sure he lived, that no one hurt him, even if he had no idea who she was.</p><p>She got to him before Dick did, the man confused at why she was so eager to fight, but he backed off. </p><p>Jason slashed his katana toward her and she disappeared, letting it vanish right through her until she appeared behind him. She was going to play a game, she was determined not to hurt him.</p><p>He tried to bring his knee up into her chin, but she disappeared again, and did the same thing. It continued like that, his movements getting angrier by the second as she continued to play a game of cat and mouse.</p><p>"Stop playing tag with the assassin!" Artemis yelled.</p><p>But nothing could break her concentration. He caught her off guard, kicking forward and slashing his sword backward just in time to slice her deeply across the arm. She cried out, kicking him square in the spine, knocking him forward so he slammed his face into the pavement.</p><p>She gasped, scrambling forward, fear building in her chest. She barely avoided his kick as he got back on his feet. She wasn't sure how long she could do this without hurting him.</p><p>"Enough."</p><p>Everyone stopped at the voice, including her dad, so she did too. She turned to see Ra's al Ghul, who stared directly into her eyes for a few seconds too long. It finally hit her that she'd forgotten her mask. He knew what color her eyes were, something you could only gain from the Lazarus Pit.</p><p>"Well, young man," Ra's said. "Are you proud of this little debacle? I believe the <em>detective</em> will be quite disappointed."</p><p>Dick grunted in anger, but he didn't say anything.</p><p>"I assume you came to recover these children? Take them and go."</p><p>Take them and go? Just like that? Emori couldn't believe it.</p><p>"Not without my sister, Tara Markov," Brion said, the magma on him glowing hot. "We know the League of Shadows has her!"</p><p>"Stay your tongue when addressing the Demon's Head," Sensei warned, pointing his sword toward him.</p><p>"It is fine, Sensei." Ra's al Ghul trained his eyes on Brion. "Boy, The Shadows may indeed have your sister, but I am no longer head of The Shadows. As you can see, there are no Shadows here. In fact, I'm no longer part of The Light."</p><p>Emori's eyes went wide.</p><p>"He lies!" Brion yelled.</p><p>"Ra's al Ghul is many things," Dick said grimly, "but a liar<em> isn't </em>one of them."</p><p>"Would the Great One care to reveal who <em>is</em> running The Shadows now?" Artemis asked, mocking.</p><p>"No, he would not."</p><p>"It's not my dad, is it?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"My sister?"</p><p>"Get out."</p><p>The Bioship appeared seconds later, and Emori stood, conflicted, as everyone walked toward it. She wanted to reach out for her father, to hold him, to hug him, to do <em>anything</em>. But she couldn't. It wasn't him, at least not the one she knew, and she couldn't. Not there.</p><p>With a questioning look from Ra's al Ghul and Dick, she followed The Team onto the Bioship, her eyes burning as she watched her dad disappear in the window.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>EMORI WAS STAYING</b></em> at Dick and Barbara's for the night. She didn't feel like going back to the Manor and getting Tim's looks of worry, so instead she went home with Dick, where she knew he wouldn't ask questions. He would assume it was another "funk day" as she called them, and that she just needed some rest. He reminded her when they arrived that she needed to take her medicine, that she was supposed to take it every night, but she brushed it off and said she'd just take it the next morning.</p><p>Barbara was already asleep, and Emori was careful to be quiet in the guest shower. She borrowed some of the clothes Dick had, ones that she'd left and ones she used whenever she came over. </p><p>She found him in the kitchen, fresh from a shower, too, a protein bar in hand. He was scrolling through something on his phone, eyebrows pinched together, and she hopped up to sit on the island. "Whatcha looking at?"</p><p>"Just some notes for a case I'm working on," he said.</p><p>"Ooh, which one?"</p><p>"It's a new one, we can work on it tomorrow if you want."</p><p>He was acting weird, but Emori didn't question it. They were both tired. And after the mention of Wally--or rather the first Kid Flash and the Cadmus adventure--he'd been in a "funk." She didn't blame him, the mention of Wally didn't make her feel great, either.</p><p>Dick swallowed with a bit of difficulty and fixed two glasses of water. "Here," he said. "You must've worked up quite a thirst using your powers on all of us."</p><p>She smiled and took the glass, taking a big gulp of water. "Thanks. Hey, that alien, Forager--what do you think about him?"</p><p>"About him making a "hive" with the others?" Dick asked. "Or about him?"</p><p>"Him."</p><p>"He seems nice. Naive, but . . . trustworthy."</p><p>"That's what I thought. And, I think it's cute that he calls me 'Emori Target.' He doesn't understand that's not my last name, I don't think I wanna tell him."</p><p>Emori froze when she heard Barbara get up to use the restroom. "Well, I think that's my cue. See you in the morning?"</p><p>"Yeah. Night."</p><p>"Night, Dick."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Hold on to Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI LET OUT A STARTLED SCREAM, SCRAMBLING OUT OF BED, THE SHEET STILL WRAPPED AROUND HER. </b>Dick was standing on the other side of the bed, where he had shaken her awake without warning.</p><p>He knew not to shake her awake, and paired with a nightmare of her father that ended only moments before, Emori's heart was beating a thousand miles an hour in her throat.</p><p>"Jesus," she gasped, placing a hand on her chest. "You scared me. What's up?"</p><p>"I took you DNA."</p><p>Her eyes went wide, tears immediately filling them as she stared ahead in horror.</p><p>"You were acting weird at Infinity Island, and you knew things you shouldn't and I-I was freaked out. I was paranoid that maybe you were playing a game against all of us, that maybe even Bart was in on it, so I thought nothing would happen. That I just had to make sure."</p><p>"Please, I--"</p><p>"Why does it say Jason's your <em>father?</em>"</p><p>Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to breathe. "Please, just--it's not what you think." She shook her head. "Barbara can't hear this, no one needs to hear this."</p><p>"Barbara's not here, she had to go visit Stephanie."</p><p>Her hands were shaking. When did her hands start to shake? "Dick, please, it isn't what you think. It isn't--I'm not a bad person, I just--I couldn't--"</p><p>"Who are you?" he yelled, his voice worse than she had ever heard it. Worse than when he cursed at The Reach. "Are you a clone? Why did it say my brother's name!"</p><p>"<em>Shut up!</em>" she screamed, tears pouring down her cheeks. "<em>Shut up, shut up, shut up!</em>"</p><p>A vase shattered beside her, half the pieces invisible, but she didn't notice. "You weren't supposed to find out! I did everything right, I did like they said! I tried not to get too close, I <em>tried</em>. I did! But you were all so nice and I-I just wanted to know what it felt like, to have that type of family that wouldn't die."</p><p>It seemed to break Dick down slightly, but just barely. "<em>Who are you?</em>"</p><p>"I'm me!" she screamed, and it didn't make sense, but it was all she could say. "Emori fucking Todd, Wayne, Hood, whatever you wanna call me! It doesn't matter!"</p><p>There were too many emotions boiling inside of her, her body was on fire, sweat starting to pool, and her cheeks were too warm from the tears--she didn't know what to do, her worst nightmare had become reality.</p><p>"That's not an answer," Dick said, a sob threatening to break his voice. She didn't want to think about how it felt for him, how it felt to find out your sister was lying the entire time.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she sobbed, her vision blurring as her shoulders shook. "You weren't supposed to find out, it'd ruin everything. It could ruin the future, he might never be brought back and I-I couldn't take that chance. I couldn't come back to save all of you only for him to die."</p><p>"Is he your father?" Dick asked, his voice cracking in his throat, so low she had to guess his words.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I thought about telling you e-eventually if the time ever came, but then you were so nice a-and I couldn't." She hiccuped. "I couldn't lose you. I can't lose you again, I-I can't lose everyone again. Please don't tell them. <em>Please</em>."</p><p>"He's alive," Dick said, sounding on the verge of sobbing, too. "Jason's alive? And you knew?"</p><p>"I wasn't sure!" She wiped at her face desperately. "I didn't know yet! I couldn't remember, it was all dumbed down to bedtime stories, it wasn't like he told me the exact dates! And you wouldn't either, you said I was never ready to hear it so I-I just tried to wait, to see if he'd pop up. That's what he did before, he just showed up, so I-I thought I could wait until then!"</p><p>Her throat felt raw. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't--I couldn't tell anyone. I wanted to, I promise, but I was so scared, I thought you'd all leave me again, and that if I told you he wouldn't come back, that it'd mess up how it went and they wouldn't resurrect him."</p><p>"Ra's al Ghul resurrects him?"</p><p>Her chin trembled. "I--he does, but you can't do anything. You have to let it happen, for everything to go like it did before or--or it'll all be wrong. Trust me, stopping how everything went won't be good, he'll--he'll be worse. You can't."</p><p>"I'm telling Bruce."</p><p>"No, no please!" she cried, nearly stumbling into the bed. "You can't! He'll hate me and I-I can't have him hate me. Please, Dick, don't tell anyone." She tried to swallow back her tears. "I know you hate me, and I know you don't want to speak to me ever again, but please. If--If I ever meant anything to you, don't tell them, and don't look for him. <em>Please.</em>"</p><p>"Barbara'll be back soon," Dick said, his voice sounding hollow. "You should go."</p><p>Emori's chest twisted like someone had drove a knife into it. She whispered that she was sorry, for the hundredth time that day, and hurried out the door, the duffle bag with her suit and phone over her shoulder.</p><p>It was raining when she got outside the apartment building. She nearly laughed at how cruel it seemed to be, like nature was mocking her. It drenched her down to the bone, until she was shivering, teeth chattering together.</p><p>She walked the streets, her tears mixing with the rain, her throat raw from crying. She couldn't seem to stop. Everything she'd sacrificed for--everything she'd<em> left</em> for--was ruined. Maybe not really, but it felt like it. The Manor wasn't her home, it was Dick. And now he hated her. She saw the fury in his eyes, the way his hands shook, aching to punch something.<em> She </em>had done that. <em>She</em> had made him angry.</p><p>She finally came to a stop under a pavilion, a park that looked like it wasn't used often, but the warmth of not having the rain pelt down on her was nice. With shaking hands--from the cold or anxiety she couldn't tell--she pulled her phone out of her bag. She couldn't go back to the Manor, or to anyone remotely from there, it made her want to throw up. Gar was busy with Perdita, she never asked if they wanted to hang out with the little time he got with her. Virgil was spending time with Jeff for the first time in weeks. <em>Tye</em>.</p><p>It had to be casual, as if she wasn't contemplating draping herself across the barbed fence two feet from her.</p><p><em>EMORI: </em>are you free rn?</p><p>Anxiously, she scratched at her wrist, the awful pressure building in her that she recognized too well. She hated that feeling, she hated that she immediately recognized it. It was the bane of her existence.</p><p><em>TIE:</em> I'm at the movies with Asami rn. We can meet up after tho? There's only thirty minutes left</p><p><em>EMORI:</em> nah it's fine, i was just bored. enjoy the movie</p><p>"<em>Fuck!</em>"</p><p>Her scream was drowned out by the storm, and a flash of lightning made her green eyes light up, making her look even more wild than before. She tugged at the ends of her hair so hard her skull felt like it would split, but even then she couldn't stop her mind from moving.</p><p>It wasn't this bad, she couldn't really think about it when she was a kid. It was easy not to, with her muscles aching. All she had to do was work longer until she passed out. But now there wasn't that. It wasn't that bad when Bruce had found her on the bathroom floor, and for the first time in her entire life, it scared her. It scared her that she had come to the point that she didn't think twice about casually running out into traffic.</p><p>After her fight with Bart, she had chopped off her hair right before she did "it." As if it would make her feel alive, and it only partially worked. If she had anything on her to do it, she probably would cut her hair again, up until it was too short to go any further.</p><p>She didn't know what to do. Emori Todd--Wayne, <em>whatever</em> she was--always knew what to do, she always had a last-ditch effort, no matter how stupid or reckless it was. But she didn't have one. Because the last time she thought about them finding out, <em>really </em>finding out, Bart had assured her that if it was what it took, together they'd "ride the rails" into the sunset with Jaime as their trusty tour guide of modern times.</p><p>If she vanished today, what would Bart think? That was what tore her chest in two. He wouldn't know what led up to it, why she had done it, only that she was gone and they hadn't spent the last six months together, aside from an awkward mission neither wanted to be a part of.</p><p>It was stupid, so fucking stupid that she even whispered it out loud to herself as she did it. But she picked up her phone anyway, typed in the contact that she hadn't used in what felt like forever, and clicked.</p><p><em>EMORI:</em> hey i'm sorry. are you busy right now?</p><p>The reply was nearly instant.</p><p><em>BARTHOLOMEW:</em> what? why?<br/><em>BARTHOLOMEW:</em> i'm not busy.</p><p>She swallowed back the burning in her throat.</p><p><em>EMORI</em>: i just wanted to apologize. you're probably at the cave right now, it's your training time. i'll just see you next time</p><p>She wasn't sure what "next time" was.</p><p><em>BARTHOLOMEW:</em> what's up with you? you've been ignoring me for months, and now you want to apologize? we saw each other yesterday</p><p>She didn't reply to the text. He was right. Even if they both argued, it was her fault. She ignored him. That was on her. She should've apologized when she saw him.</p><p>Her phone rang two minutes later, as she was standing out in the rain, letting it drench her again, and she hurried back under the pavilion, water dropping down onto her phone as she clicked the 'answer' button, letting it go on speaker.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Bart said, quick and angry. "You ignored me, you didn't even say you wanted to talk to me, you just ghosted me. And Jaime too, he didn't even know what happened! How the hell am I supposed to explain that to him? It isn't--you can't just do that, not to me. We said we'd never do that."</p><p>She shut her eyes, tight. "I-I know. I'm sorry, Bart, I was an asshole. I shouldn't have done that, I knew it then I just--I didn't know how to deal with any of it, so I did what I always do. I just . . . stopped. And I guess that meant you, too. I'm just--I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that. You or Jaime."</p><p>"I just--did I do something?"</p><p>"God, no. Bart, it wasn't you, it was me. I was stupid, and I was an asshole and I took it out on you."</p><p>The storm drowned out Bart's words and she cursed to herself, putting it to her ear. "I didn't hear what you said, this stupid storm makes everything hard to hear."</p><p>"Why are you outside?" She could hear his words, loud and clear. "Cassie was just in Gotham, it isn't storming there."</p><p>"I--I'm not in Gotham, I'm in Bludhaven." She brushed back her wet hair, flinging droplets into the air. "I went home with Dick last night, I went out for a walk this morning."</p><p>"In a storm?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>It was silent, for a few seconds, and she could just barely hear a video game playing in the background. "Emori, what's going on? Seriously, why are you outside?"</p><p>"It's nothing. Look, I'm sorry I called, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For everything I did, it was stupid. Just--I'm sorry I ruined it. Everything. I said it'd be us, always, and I broke that. That's on me."</p><p>"It's fine, just tell me where you are, we can figure it out. It'll be totally crash."</p><p>They both knew his fake enthusiasm wasn't working, not that day.</p><p>"Bart, really. Don't worry. It's fine."</p><p>"Rory, please."</p><p>She swallowed down a cry and dropped him her pin, and in less than ten seconds, he was standing in front of her. He was semi-dry, his auburn hair in front of his face like wild little tendrils, a jacket thrown over his shoulder, one sleeve entirely off. He had a bit of wind-burn from not wearing his goggles, but she pretended not to notice.</p><p>He hung up, rocking back on his heels. "So . . ."</p><p>"Hi," she said, the word taking much too long to come out. "I know--"</p><p>He walked forward, quick, and wrapped her into a tight hug that made her breath catch in her throat. "I missed you."</p><p>"I-I missed you too."</p><p>She felt like a live wire, his embrace warming her to her bones. She wanted that feeling to last forever.</p><p>He didn't seem ready to let go. "So, what happened?"</p><p>"I'll--I'll tell you in a minute. Just don't let go, please."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Conflicted Healing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI SLEPT ON AN AIR MATTRESS IN BART'S ROOM FOR THE NIGHT. </b>Bart said she didn't have to, that it had to be uncomfortable, but she made a weak joke of "we slept on rocks, you think I can't handle this?" They did it when they were younger, up until it made something coil deep within Emori like a live wire, but it didn't feel right anymore. It felt like it might shatter the little thing she so desperately wanted to protect.</p><p>Joan and Jay said it was find for her to spend the night, that she was always welcome, and she knew the reason they didn't dare to question it was because of how long it'd been since Bart mentioned her. They were too scared that they'd break the moment if they asked anything.</p><p>When she woke up in the morning, she was covered in a cold sweat, and she had to swallow the urge to throw up. She had a nightmare, about her father's death, in such vivid detail that she swore she could still feel the hot summer air. Except this time, he lived. When she scrambled down hours later, to see if anything was left after the blast, she found him. And he told her it was all her fault, that she killed him and ruined his life, that she ruined everyone's life.</p><p>It made her take a long cold shower, until she was shivering and her spine felt frozen. Bart was still asleep when she went in, sprawled out across the entire bed, but when she stepped out of the shower, there was a brand new toothbrush on the counter and a shirt and sweatpants on the closed toilet seat. It irked her slightly that he had walked in while she was taking a shower, but the curtain was blue, and she knew he couldn't see through it.</p><p>His shirt was big on her, both because he was more muscular and taller, and she had to pull the drawstring as tight as it would go to get the pants to fit. She didn't bother with rolling them up so they fit her properly, she only padded out of the bathroom, careful not to trip over them.</p><p>When she walked out, where it led directly into Bart's room, he was laying on his stomach on his bed, phone between his ear and shoulder, and he raised an eyebrow at her as she walked out of the bathroom as a way of acknowledgement.</p><p>"I gotta go," he said, pausing to listen to whatever the person said after. "Uh, I might have to rain check on tonight. Sorry. Yeah, bye."</p><p>She stood, awkwardly, fiddling with the strings of the pants. "Who was that?" It made her cringe, because it was such a simple question, but she couldn't ask that anymore. Not really.</p><p>"Jaime. He's, uh, having girl problems."</p><p>"Oh." She wanted to scream at the tension in the room. "That's . . . not good. Traci seems nice, her powers are cool."</p><p>"Yeah, they are."</p><p>It was awkward because they hadn't talked in months, and even more so because Bart knew that her secret was out, at least to Dick. How could it be comfortable after that? Maybe if they were still kids it wouldn't be, but they weren't kids. They were older, stronger, and a hell of a lot more mature to think differently about lying in a bed together.</p><p>"The hair," Bart abruptly said. "Your hair, it looks nice."</p><p>"Oh, uh--thanks, I like it. It's easier." She gestured to his room, which had more posters than last time. "Your room looks nice, too. The posters are cool."</p><p>He still had pictures of them on his dresser. One of all three of them--Jaime, Bart, her--smiling wide in front of a mural of Blue Beetle and Kid Flash in Central City. Another of her and Bart, diving into the pool, and Jaime, horrified, desperately trying to swim away as his two friends dived at him.</p><p>She tried not to look at all the others, and tried even more not to think about how she had some, back at the Manor, hidden under her bed. She wasn't sure if Jaime still had them, but she remembered how he said every time he thought about The Reach and what happened to him, he'd look at the photos to see the two people who didn't give up on him. And he was right. Emori might have been angry and bitter toward him, but she never gave up. She couldn't.</p><p>"Joan made breakfast," Bart said. "And bought marshmallows. She said that there was no way you could be here without marshmallows."</p><p>Emori laughed, but it came out too rough. In the two years she'd been living at the Manor, since her powers became uncontrollable and Dick sent her to the one person he trusted, she hadn't had them, only when she was with Bart and Jaime. Especially not since they stopped speaking. They reminded her of a nice time, with friends--<em>family</em>--when there was a certain redheaded speedster that would throw them at her nose, saying that it was only fitting to get to know his little cousin's best friend that way.</p><p>"I--I want to try, to get back to where we were."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I know you probably hate me, after ignoring you, and just being a total asshole, but I miss you and Jaime. And the way you idiots would take turns annoying the shit out of me, just to get me to laugh. I--I don't want to be strangers anymore." She took a deep breath, looking anywhere but him. "I'm probably making myself look like an idiot, but I just wanted to say that, because being emotionally constipated runs in the family, and I'm trying to break the mold."</p><p>Bart nearly snorted at the last part. "Yeah, you're not wrong." He fidgeted, picking at the skin by his fingernails. "You and me--"</p><p>"'till the end."</p><p>That made him smile. "We can go to Jaime's, or meet somewhere. If you're up for that, I mean. Of course."</p><p>"Are you sure?" she asked. "I don't--I don't wanna make him do anything. And if he's having trouble with Traci shouldn't he--"</p><p>"It's fine, I promise. His parents took Milagro to her friend's house, he's just at home playing video games."</p><p><em>Milagro</em>. God, she hadn't seen her in months. Rationally, she knew she would still be eight, but she'd probably be half a foot taller with the way she grew like a bean pole. She felt bad, she hadn't thought much about Milagro. What did Jaime tell her, about why Emori wasn't coming anymore?</p><p>"He said yes," Bart chirped, a bit more lively than she had seen him since last night. "Uh, we can go to his place, or here. But fair warning, Joan's probably going to ask a lot of questions if we do. She's missed you, like, a lot."</p><p>Emori rocked on her heels. "Yeah, I figured."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>E</b></em><b><em>MORI DIDN'T EAT</em></b> much breakfast, a few bites of a pancake and two marshmallows, but Joan and Jay didn't seem to care. They were just happy that she was back. Emori felt bad leaving so soon, but they were already ten minutes late, and somehow that made her hands shake even more. </p><p>It wasn't like she was intimidated by Jaime. She had grown comfortable around him, to the point that she--</p><p>"<em>Motherfucker!</em>"</p><p>She nearly tripped off the front porch stairs, a hand clapped over her mouth as Bart grabbed her elbow to stop her from following.</p><p>Jaime blushed from the front door, where he'd opened it right as she had gone to ring the doorbell. "Uh, sorry. Biscuit barked, I heard you coming before you rang." </p><p>"...<em>Biscuit?</em>"</p><p>On cue, a yellow snout poked out from behind Jaime's knee, and in two seconds flat, a large yellow dog had managed to get past the "undefeated" superhero and make a beeline toward Emori. She froze, eyes wide as the dog put its mammoth-sized paws on her shoulders and took her to the ground.</p><p>"<em>Biscuit!</em>" Jaime yelled, grabbing the dogs collar as it licked her face. "B, no!"</p><p>Despite the hard fall onto the grass, Emori smiled, managing to push herself up under the dog to pet it behind the ears. It was a boy, and she couldn't tell what kind it was, but it looked like a mutt of every large breed in existence, to the point that its head was above hers when she sat down.</p><p>"Hey there," she cooed, rubbing the wetness of her chin with her forearm. "Who's a cute boy? You are, you are!"</p><p>"That's Biscuit," Jaime sighed, giving up on his attempt to pull the dog off as Emori practically let it melt into her. "He's Milagro's. We don't know what he is, or how old he is, but he started eating our trash and Milagro decided that we had to keep him, so she named him after Biscuit."</p><p>"Biscuit?" Emori repeated, eyebrows pinched slightly. "Wait, is there dog celebrities?"</p><p>"Uh, no, like the book." He cringed. "Right, you have never read that book, of course. It's a kid's book, one of the little ones you use to learn how to read. Milagro was obsessed with them when she was younger, since she wanted a dog, so when Biscuit showed up...she named him Biscuit."</p><p>"Hm. Well, it's fitting." She gave the dog a hug around the neck, his tongue swiping her hair up into a horn before she could stand up. "So, uh . . . hi?"</p><p>Biscuit barked, pawing at her calf, clearly not happy with his lack of pets. Emori caved and started to pet his head again as Jaime guided them inside. Her phone rang right as Jaime went to speak and she huffed, pulling it out and to her ear.</p><p>"What's up?"</p><p>"Hi, so, uh--Steph and I were trying to show Cass that Danny was really cool, that hermit crabs weren't gross and, well, he went missing."</p><p>"You lost Danny?" Emori said, eyes wide. "<em>Tim!</em>"</p><p>"Well, he's around here somewhere! We'll find him, I just wanted to let you know."</p><p>"Check under my dresser," she said. "He hides under there, it's warm. Let me know if you find him, alright?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>Everyone at the Manor knew she was spending the night at Bart's, and she'd be home the next. Tim was suspicious, but he didn't ask any questions, he was only supposed to make sure Danny was okay. And he'd lost him, in the span of under twenty-four hours.</p><p>"That was Tim," she sighed. "I asked him to watch Danny. Surprisingly, for a family of detectives, they sure have no common sense."</p><p>Wordlessly, they made their way up to Jaime's room, just like they always did before. But before they would be stampeding up the stairs, reluctantly following Mrs. Reyes' "no powers in the house" rule (a result of Jaime accidentally exploding a couch). Biscuit was on their heels, pushing them to go faster, like a herding dog.</p><p>He reminded her of Wolf, when Wolf wasn't old and tired. Wolf was a strange dog--partially because he wasn't actually a dog--but she still liked him. He was cute, and sometimes she slept curled up with him, which was somehow the best feeling in the world. Biscuit was a close second, though.</p><p>They sat on Jaime's bed, Bart sprawled out across the end while Emori and Jaime were towards the top. </p><p>"You'll never guess what Jaime has," Bart said, grabbing a game cover from the stack. "Look."</p><p>It was the Bats. All of them, except for her, since she had never been seen with them in Gotham. Tim had played it, but he said it was awful, that the graphics were good, but it was too unrealistic to enjoy. Emori at least admired how they even added Cass or Orphan, a small cameo since she wasn't seen with them often, but still.</p><p>"Holy shit," Emori breathed out. "Is it any good? From a non-Bat perspective."</p><p>"They made Nightwing make a lot of jokes, which is really weird, but it's pretty good." Jaime shrugged. "I mean, you just fight Joker half the time, so."</p><p>Emori laughed. "Well then it's super realistic. That's all they do, anyway."</p><p>"It's <em>multiplayer,</em>" Bart said, the last part coming out in a sing-song voice. "C'mon, you know you wanna play."</p><p>"As horrifying as playing my brothers would be, hand me the controller."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>"IF YOU TURN </b></em>the pizza roll invisible while you're invisible, can you eat it?"</p><p>Emori's face twisted into anguish. "Why would you ask me that?"</p><p>Jaime laughed, nearly choking on his food as she stared, confused, at the pizza roll in her hand. Bart joined in, and for a brief moment, Emori considered trying it, but she doubted it would work.</p><p>She'd try it when she was alone.</p><p>Her phone rang with the distinct chime of a Face-Time and she cringed. Seriously? Always at the worst moments. But it was Gar, so she felt better about answering it.</p><p>"Can I answer this?" she asked, the anxiety bleeding through in her voice.</p><p>Jaime nodded to go ahead and she clicked the screen.</p><p>"Emori!" Perdita cheered, the phone in her hand. </p><p>"Give that back!" Gar yelled. The two playfully struggled and he managed to get the phone back. "Alright, now that <em>someone's</em> given me my phone back, I can finally ask the important questions. Are you free this Saturday?"</p><p>"Uh, why? Maybe."</p><p>Perdita gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up, so Emori hoped she would be feeling up to going by then.</p><p>"I was trying to get Tye and Virgil to come to that boxing place you like, it's been a while since we've all hung out together." Perdita scowled at him. "Okay, and Perdita, but she won't be fighting because she doesn't know how."</p><p>"I do too, you peasant!"</p><p>Emori smiled. "Yeah, sure. That sounds nice. Let me know if they're all free too." Hopefully, she would want to go. Because seeing them all together seemed nice, but at the moment, she was exhausted.</p><p>Biscuit barked, attacking the screen door, and she turned to see a squirrel taunting him.</p><p>"Uh, did you get a dog? I thought Alf said dogs were a no-go?"</p><p>She winced. "No, that's--that's Biscuit."</p><p>"Biscuit?" Gar said, eyes wide. "Like--"</p><p>"I'm at Jaime's," Emori clarified. "And--<em>no, </em>stop it, don't give me that look--I'll try to clear my schedule. I'll do training with M'gann early or something."</p><p>Perdita looked at her skeptically, as did Gar, and she knew Perdita would be Face-Timing her later, once she got back to Vlatva, asking every single detail she could squeeze out of her. </p><p>When she ended the call, she cringed at the increasing tension in the room. "So . . . uh, I guess I have plans Saturday?"</p><p>"You guys seem close."</p><p>Emori felt like slapping Bart across the face, but she restrained the urge as she pushed her plate onto the coffee table. "Yeah. We are. Gar's nice, and Perdita's . . . well, Perdita. She's nice to be around." She crossed her arm when she saw their looks, especially Bart's. "What?"</p><p>"Nothing. It's nothing."</p><p>"If we're gonna talk again, we need to just lay everything out on the table." She looked at them expectantly. "C'mon, for real. Not being honest fucked us up last time, we gotta be honest this time."</p><p>"I was being honest. There's nothing left to say that I didn't say last night," Bart shrugged.</p><p>"Bullshit." Emori quirked an eyebrow at him. "Bull<em>shit</em>."</p><p>"Do you want to do this?" Bart asked. "Last time, when you and I laid everything out of the table, we kinda never did that again."</p><p>"And that's on me," Emori assured. "All on me, I know that now. I won't do it again." She sighed at their pointed looks. "Probably, okay. I freak out a lot, I'll try not to. As long as you guys don't drop a bomb on me, I'm good."</p><p>"Fine," Bart said. "Do you think we'll ever go back to what we were before?"</p><p><em>Motherfucker</em>.</p><p>"Maybe." She sighed. "I don't know. Just--let's see. Let's take everything slow. Like we're kids and we have to ask our favorite colors again."</p><p>"That's fine with me," Jaime shrugged. "Mine's red."</p><p>"Blue," Bart answered.</p><p>"Green."</p><p>"Wait, I thought it was yellow?"</p><p>"I was, like, six and wanted to know what the sun looked like." Emori scowled at the sun in the window, like it had personally murdered her hopes and dreams. "If I'd known the sun sucked this bad, I would've stayed back in the future." She laughed at her own joke, but no one else did. "Come on, that was funny!"</p><p>"Laughing at our shared trauma is not funny," Bart pointed out, stuffing another pizza roll in his mouth. "Though, you do have some creative jokes. Like that surfboarding one you told that only made Tye laugh." </p><p>Emori nearly snorted at the thought of the joke. "Yeah, that was my best one yet. And you're wrong! Cass thinks they're hilarious. And so does Stephanie."</p><p>"Ah, yes," Jaime mused, "the mysterious, deadly teenagers. Very good argument, ten out of ten."</p><p>"Oh, fuck you Reyes."</p><p>Jaime opened his mouth for a retort, a smirk on his lips, but he decided against it, which made Emori burst into laughter. They both knew what he was going to say, which somehow made it funnier.</p><p>Her phone dinged with a text, and a brief image of her smashing it to pieces on the tile floor, then stomping on it flashed in her mind. It was always picking the worst times to go off.</p><p>"Uh, shit," Jaime abruptly said, staring down at his phone. "That was my mom. Milagro's done, they'll be back in ten minutes."</p><p>Emori wanted to leave and yet she didn't but she got up anyway. "Okay. See you later . . .?"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah. Of course."</p><p>She gave him a thumbs up, and she and Bart made their way out of the house. She was tired, and the feeling of wanting to jump in front of a car was more than the usual distant hum, but she felt better than before.</p><p>"If you solve a conflict, it heals your soul," is what one of the crazies in the labor camp had said, approximately two minutes before he died of stabbing someone. Emori couldn't help but think he was right.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Ice Cream Ambush</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>NO ONE ELSE KNEW WHAT HAPPENED. </b>She could tell, they were all acting normal, or as normal as they ever were, with several superheroes under the same roof. Even if they didn't know it still felt wrong to be there. The idea that she could live with them and be their family without telling them was shattered.</p><p>Legally, her name was Emori Wayne. Bruce adopted her, officially, a year before, after the press prodded him into it, but he had assured her he wanted to do it. So that was it. Emori Wayne, adopted daughter of Bruce Wayne. It sent a pang through her chest, because she bared his last name, and she couldn't even tell him his son was alive.</p><p>Just like she suspected, she had holed herself up in her room for days. Training with the team wasn't until Friday, which meant she had two days until she had to leave. It was Thursday, and like the smart person she was, she had not done any of her school work, barely eaten anything, and had not brushed her teeth or taken a shower. Rationally, she knew it was gross, but the idea of going through the process was exhausting, so instead she lied in bed.</p><p>Sometimes she would watch TV, or scroll through various social medias until something triggered her and she took another nap that was most likely plagued by a nightmare. She hated this cycle, it had been months since it happened. Lots of things "set her off" as she put it. It was hard for them not to. But she had gotten better, or at least she thought she had. But when she got like this--episodes, Bruce called them, because he had them too--everything was a thousand times worse.</p><p>It seemed like the only thing she could do was sleep. No matter how long she slept, or napped, she could always go for longer, she would always yearn for the time when her brain slowed down, even if it brought a nightmare. Because anything was better than being left alone with the awful pressure in her chest.</p><p>She was trying, she was. She had promised Bruce she wouldn't cut again, though she knew he didn't believe it, he'd had experience with it before and knew promises were lies. But she didn't want to break it, even if she hadn't meant it. </p><p>Except it made her feel alive, made the pressure stop, and made everything slow down so she could <em>think</em> for once.</p><p>Her phone dinged with a text, and for ten minutes, she didn't check it, she only rolled over in her pitch-black room (aside from the glow-in-the-dark tapestries) and tried to sleep. But she eventually caved and checked, the guilt that it might be important getting to her.</p><p>It was Bart. Because of course he knew she would be having an awful time, he knew her better than anyone. So he had sent her a meme, of Kid Flash--him as Kid Flash--running face-first into a stop sign because he had been staring at a dog. It was titled <em>'even heroes think dogs are cute.'</em></p><p>It brought a smile to her lips, and she almost didn't respond, the idea of keeping up a conversation exhausting, but she felt bad not doing it, because she knew she'd slip into old habits, so she replied with <em>'nice footwork, b.'</em></p><p>He sent back a video of him in response, of him running on the treadmill. It made heat rise to Emori's face, because he was shirtless, clad in only sweatpants and tennis shoes. Two seconds later, though, he turned to make an obscene gesture at someone and promptly messed up his footing and came crashing down, slipping off the back of the treadmill. She laughed, and another followed hers from her phone, clearly Jaime, she could tell by the laugh and the hands that came into view as he went to help Bart.</p><p>She didn't know what to say, so she just said in response that Jaime didn't seem to keen on helping him with the ten-second gap of him laughing as Bart was sprawled out on the ground. Though, it seemed like a Jaime thing to do, and she couldn't blame him. It was funny.</p><p>He sent something back, but Emori was tired, so she rolled over and went back to sleep. It seemed like she was trying to catch up on thirteen years of lost sleep all at once.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>SHE WOKE TO</b></em> a knock at her door, and she turned over, knowing Alfred and Bruce would walk away if she didn't open it, but Tim wasn't that generous.</p><p>"Open up!" he said. "I'll pick your lock."</p><p>She didn't say anything. He was probably busy with Bruce, or the others. He'd go away.</p><p>"It's just me, everyone's gone home today. C'mon, Emori. Open up."</p><p>She huffed at the softness in his tone as she got up--her vision blurred dangerously, sending her tumbling, but she knew it like a friend--and opened the door. "Fuck you, T."</p><p>He was in pajamas, and Emori realized it was late. She could smell dinner cooking downstairs. </p><p>"You okay?"</p><p>"Fine."</p><p>He didn't seem convinced, but he didn't want to push her. "Okay. There's dinner, downstairs. Spaghetti."</p><p>"I ate earlier," Emori said, lying through her teeth. "But thanks. Tell Alfred thanks, though."</p><p>"Yeah, of course." As she went to shut the door, he stopped her. "Did someone say something to you? Was it Bart?"</p><p>"No, I just--thanks, Tim, but it's fine. I can handle it."</p><p>He didn't seem convinced, again, but she didn't give him time to work his detective skills, because she shut the door and locked it.</p><p>She flopped down on her bed and turned on her phone to check the time. It was nine-thirty. Alfred usually had dinner ready by eight, which meant Bruce came home late. Again. Usually, Emori would eat dinner with them and pester Bruce into loving her, as she put it. He was always closed-off after he came back from work, from working himself to the bone. But she didn't want to do that, it felt too exhausting to even think about.</p><p>There was a text from Bart, and she knew she needed to respond, but she was tired. She made a promise to herself to respond in the morning, whenever she woke up, and she went back to sleep.</p><p>Her bed felt cold and empty. She missed when it was her and Bart, when it had been for warmth, or for comfort. Even when it was all three--her, Bart, and Jaime--cuddled together watching horror movies.</p><p>She didn't want to sleep like this anymore, she couldn't stand it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>TRAINING HAD BEEN </b></em>cancelled, M'gann texted her saying that there was some "power-controlling issues" with the newcomers, and that she should stop by, but Emori didn't feel up to it. Because Dick would no doubt be there, and she couldn't. She couldn't handle that, it would push her over the edge.</p><p>When Saturday came, Gar told her that they were instead going to an ice cream shop near the studios, because his makeup people told him that he couldn't box anymore when they were filming, because cracked knuckles were hard to cover. </p><p>She wasn't thrilled to go to an ice cream shop, since her appetite was negative thirty, but it was better than boxing, which made her want to die inside at the moment. But despite her will to burrow under her sheets until everything was gone, she got dressed, took a shower for the first time in days, and brushed her teeth until all she could think about was mint.</p><p>Emori found them at the address Gar had given her, and like he said, Virgil wasn't there. He was busy with his family, which meant it was just Gar, Perdita, Emori and Tye. She didn't mind it.</p><p>Tye's hair was tied back, and it reminded Emori of the time Asami braided it and took so many pictures that Tye--emo, scary Tye--could only be seen as the guy with a braid with flowers in it.</p><p>"Ah, the queen has finally arrived."</p><p>She flipped him off and sat down next to him. Gar passed her a cup of vanilla ice cream--they all teased her about how it was her favorite. It wasn't<em> her</em> fault her taste buds were helplessly small and flavors freaked her out.</p><p>"So," Tye said, scooping rocky road into his mouth, "a little bug told me you spoke to them again."</p><p>She frowned. "You guys set me up, didn't you?"</p><p>"Hundred percent." Tye grinned. "Spill, rich girl."</p><p>"Hey, I'm not rich, I had, like, a blanket to my name when I came here," she defended, pointing a spoon at them. "Okay, a bit more than that, but not really. Point is, there's nothing to really say."</p><p>Perdita shook her head. "Wrong."</p><p>"I--how am I wrong? I did it!"</p><p>"Wrong," she repeated, taking a bite of her mint ice cream.</p><p>"Oh, screw you guys," Emori grumbled. "Fine, I talked to Bart and spent the night at his house--Tye, shut your fuckin' mouth, don't say anything--and then we went to Jaime's the next day. I'm trying to . . . be better, y'know?"</p><p>"Well, I thought Khaji was gonna take over and force Jaime to talk to you, so it's good you did it on your own."</p><p>Emori's eyes went wide as she choked on a laugh. "Wait, Tye, what? The scarab was gonna do that?"</p><p>"Oh yeah. They've been arguing the past few months, Khaji calls him a coward, Jaime says he'll electrocute himself so they both go down, and it all starts again. It's brutal."</p><p>Perdita nodded with a smile, even though she had never met Jaime before. Or Bart. She had only met Tye, Emori, and Virgil. Which was mostly because Gar and her had been close since Wally's funeral, and Emori had been the sole reason that they got together after she made the two of them realize they weren't only friends.</p><p>"Milagro's happy you're back, too." Tye finished off his ice cream. "When I got to Jaime's house that was the first thing she said, that she was gonna have a playdate with you soon."</p><p>Emori smiled. "Yeah, probably."</p><p>Tye glanced at his phone, and as everyone stared at him while he did it, he huffed. "It's Roy, you creeps. Can't I text in private?"</p><p>"Ha, that loser's still in Starling," Emori laughed, poking at her ice cream. "I saw it on Twitter this morning."</p><p>"Yeah, he ate shit on the top of that subway train," Tye agreed, a smirk on his lips. "He didn't think it was funny, but it definitely was."</p><p>"Surprisingly, that's better than before," Emori shrugged. "He dropped me twenty feet in the air one time."</p><p>Gar choked on his ice cream, hitting his chest to dislodge it as the others laughed.</p><p>"What, it was only a few times!" Emori defended, but she was laughing too. "At like ten plus feet, but still."</p><p>"He dropped you," Perdita said, slowly, "at a high altitude? And you broke <em>no</em> bones?"</p><p>"Oh no I definitely broke at least one," Emori corrected. "But, like, everything was broken, because we were fighting for four days straight, so it felt like a fun roller coaster until I hit the ground."</p><p>Tye snorted. "Yeah, that's how we met. Well, you blasted the shit out of Black Beetle instead of falling, but still."</p><p>"<em>Actually,</em>" Emori corrected, "the first time we met was on that underwater Reach ship, remember? I was, like, half-dead--"</p><p>"<em>'I think I'm having a coma,' </em>I remember."</p><p>"--oh, fuck you, I didn't know what a coma was yet."</p><p>Perdita blinked, slightly confused, but didn't say anything. She knew only a little about where Emori came from, she'd explained it in passing before, just a brief "I came back in time to stop The Reach with Bart," and it was over. Perdita sometimes laughed at her jokes about the future, but she didn't quite understand them.</p><p>"Do you two ever not argue?" Gar questioned. </p><p>"Nope," Tye shrugged, flicking her on the shoulder. "It adds to the appeal."</p><p>"Or we're both assholes, but yours sounded nicer."</p><p>Tye blinked, barely holding back his laugh with his hand. There were two people that got him to laugh more than Jaime did: Emori and Asami. Asami because he had a enormous crush on her, and Emori because she was too similar to him to not know what would make him crack.</p><p>"Since we discussed the elephant in the room, I have a suggestion," Perdita said. If Emori could do anything for the rest of her life, it would be listen to Perdita say literally anything with that perfect accent of hers.</p><p>At everyone's silence, she continued. "I am creating a . . . <em>social media presence</em>," she said, nodding at the last part like it was a big feat to string the words together. "My advisors think it would be a good image that someone of my age has it, yes?"</p><p>"Of course," Emori assured, calming the girl's nerves. "And they're right, it would seem . . . normal, I guess. Make you seem more personable? Plus, I wouldn't have to screenshot things off of twitter if I could just send them to you directly."</p><p>Perdita smiled at that idea. "Perfect. Then I will do it when I get back to Vlatva, and I will send you the details."</p><p>Gar pumped his fist. "Finally! I've been trying to wear those guys down for, like, weeks."</p><p>His girlfriend shot him a stern look. "I told you not to badger important political people anymore, Garfield." He smiled at her with that stupid million-dollar smile and she caved.</p><p>"Wait," Tye said, "does this mean I get to follow a <em>queen</em> on twitter? Like a literal queen?"</p><p>"Yes," Perdita nodded. "Emori, do you have a Twitter? An official one."</p><p>"Uh, no. I have a blank account with like two followers." She shrugged. "I can make one, though. Bruce wants me to, he says it'll "fit the image" of the Wayne family or whatever. But yeah, I'll do it whenever you do."</p><p>"Okay, so we have everything figured out," Tye concluded, slumping in his seat comfortably. "Emori totally has the hots for the boys again--"</p><p>"<em>Tye!</em>"</p><p>"--and the queen's gonna get an Instagram. Sweet."</p><p>Emori gave Tye a swift kick to the ankle, but he only laughed. She took it back, she hated Tye Longshadow. He was a stupid smirky emo asshole.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Green is Good</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>BART ALLEN'S SCREAMS WOULD ALWAYS HAUNT HER. </b>Burned into the backs of her eyelids, echoing in her brain every time she hoped for peace. It was her own hell.</p><p>"I'm trying to focus, shut up!"</p><p>"Emori, help me!" he screamed, the sound of him hitting Jaime quickly following. "He has me in a headlock, he's going for the finishing move!"</p><p>"Delete the picture and it'll all be over," Jaime said in the most cut-throat voice she had ever heard. </p><p>"Too late," Bart grinned. "I already sent it to Emori and Ed."</p><p>"<em>Asshole!</em>" Jaime groaned, letting the speedster tumble to the floor. "Emori, I thought you were on my side!"</p><p>"C'mon, you look cute," Emori reasoned, flashing the photo at him. He was curled up on the couch, face peaceful from sleep, head laying on Emori's leg. "And, if it makes it any better, your Blue Beetle shirt really ties it together."</p><p>"It doesn't." He huffed. "See? <em>This</em> is why I took your key away!"</p><p>Bart gave him a shit-eating grin. "I can phase through doors, keys are irrelevant to me."</p><p>Emori gave a thumbs up. "Me too. Keys aren't necessary, I just kinda walk through walls if people won't let me in."</p><p>"How's that homework going, huh?"</p><p>"Haha, fuck you."</p><p>Her phone dinged with a text as she sat it down, one from Gar. She smiled. Perdita kept texting him about how her social media adventures were going, and he kept giving Emori a rundown of how Perdita had accidentally gotten an American politician banned after making him angry enough to call her a rather colorful word. Emori thought it was <em>hilarious</em>.</p><p>"Who's that?" </p><p>She cringed. "It's Gar. He's telling me how Perdita using social media is going. She's liking it, but it's going about as well as you'd expect it to for a seventeen-year-old queen who has no idea how to work it."</p><p>"Huh. That's new."</p><p>Mentioning Gar always soured the mood, even if Gar was technically friends with them. With Tye and Virgil it was different, Virgil was <em>Virgil</em>, it was impossible to not like him. And Emori didn't have to guess that Jaime had talked to Tye, long before they had "split" a few months before. But with Gar, all Bart and Jaime knew was that Emori wouldn't talk to them but had no problem with spending all of her time with Gar, the pretty boy actor that everyone loved.</p><p>Emori didn't know how to explain to them that Gar would never be what they were to her. She had never been good with her words, especially not with Bart and Jaime. She always fell short, her words jumbled together, trying not to think about how they were standing too-close to her when she confronted them.</p><p>"We should go to the beach," Bart abruptly said, sitting straight up off Jaime's bed. "No, seriously, hear me out! It's a Saturday, we're all super bored, and Em, I know you're not going to finish that work, you've been on the same problem for ten minutes. So, beach time!"</p><p>"I don't have my bathing suit here, it's at the Manor."</p><p>Bart picked his head up at that from where he had flopped back down onto the bed. "The green one?"</p><p>She sighed. "Yes, the green one."</p><p>"I'm in."</p><p>Emori snorted at Jaime's enthusiasm, trying to calm herself down. God, she had missed them and their stupidly adorable personalities so much.</p><p>"Okay, if I wear the green one you have to wear the ones you wore on Fourth of July," Emori reasoned. "The red and black ones."</p><p>Jaime held back a laugh. "We're gonna look like Harley Quinn."</p><p>"Oh, shut <em>up.</em>"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>EMORI HAD CAME</b></em> to two conclusions: one, she didn't think it through. Two: she had to figure out who was more muscular by the end of the day, it was driving her insane. The last one wasn't as important, but it was important to her.</p><p>The towel was wrapped around her shoulders, going down to her mid-thigh, right below her scars. Even though Emori had a bathing suit she had never went swimming in the ocean before. After finding out that there was something called the "undertow" she had been terrified and vowed to never go near the awful body of water again.</p><p>The fact that they were at the mountain in Happy Harbor, where roughly two years ago she had been kidnapped across this same ocean to be experimented on didn't help. </p><p>But Jaime and Bart were already in, waist-deep, and they had been taken like she was. If they could do it, why couldn't she? She was just as strong as them, just as strong as the heroes.</p><p>In less than a second Bart was beside her, still dripping yet, his hair cast down in front of his eyes. He had more freckles on his shoulders than the last time she saw him without a shirt. </p><p>"You okay?"</p><p>"Oh, yeah, totally. Aside from the vivid memories of being knocked out a couple hundred yards behind us and being dragged out with a collar. But, like, totally fine." She scratched at her wrist. "And I've also never been in the ocean. Remember how I was always scared of it when we were kids, after that kid got pulled in by the undertow and no one could find him? Yep, still not quite over that."</p><p>"You'll be okay. See? The water's green, it isn't grey, and there's no trash floating around. Nothing to worry about."</p><p>"Unless I drown."</p><p>"You know how to swim."</p><p>"Uh-huh, but I don't think undertow cares about that."</p><p>Bart put a hand on the small of her back, which made Emori's face erupt into flames. "C'mon, we'll do it together. It'll knock something off my impossibly long bucket list."</p><p>"Wait, you have a bucket list?" Emori questioned as they neared the water. "And what does this have to do with it?"</p><p>"I always wanted to go swimming with you in the ocean, somewhere that was safe," he explained, a smile on his face. "I thought it'd be fun. Somewhere that was actually a beach, you know?"</p><p>"You're such a dork." She gently toed into the water, her spine going painfully straight from how cold it was. "Oh my god, oh my god, this is awful. Why is this so cold?"</p><p>When they got to Jaime, where it was chest deep for Emori, she jumped, trying to get her chest out of the water. "What the shit, what the shit! That's so cold! I think my b--" She caught herself, still partially out of the water, as much as she could be. "Okay, ignore that."</p><p>Bart laughed. "It's not even that cold!"</p><p>"Uh, <em>yeah, </em>cause you have a freakish body heat." She pointed a defensive finger at Jaime as he opened his mouth. "And Khaji makes you freakishly warm, too. This is cold for everyone else!"</p><p>"You know, you're a lot less intimidating in a bikini."</p><p>Emori flipped Jaime off, causing Bart to laugh. "I can't stand you. I'm just a pretty face to you."</p><p>"Yeah. <em>Obviously.</em>"</p><p>She flipped him off, again, this time sticking her tongue out rather childishly. </p><p>"Wait--do you guys know what we should do?" Bart grinned wickedly. "Let's play never have I ever. And whoever hasn't out of the other two has to get splashed."</p><p>Emori grinned. "Oh, you're so on. I'm gonna <em>destroy </em>you."</p><p>Jaime looked horrified as he reluctantly agreed. "You two are terrifying."</p><p>"Of course." Emori linked her fingers together. "Alright, I go first. Never have I ever been stabbed."</p><p>Bart put down a finger. "Whoops, that's one for me!" He reared his hand back as Jaime tried to reason with him, but it was no use, because Bart practically broke the sound barrier as water slapped into Jaime's face.</p><p>The hero spit some out of his mouth, wiped his eyes. "I hate you. You two targeted me, didn't you?" </p><p>Bart shrugged. "I have <em>no idea</em> what you're talking about." He looked off into the distance, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Oh, I have an idea. Never have I ever kissed someone."</p><p>When neither of them put a finger down Bart cocked his head to the side. "<em>Seriously?</em> That was supposed to set you up!" He crossed his arms, making the muscles in his arms stand out. "Okay, who was it?"</p><p>"You can't get mad," Emori reasoned. "Or laugh." They didn't say anything, which made her roll her eyes. "It was after one of Bruce's charity banquets. There was this really, really pretty girl, and she had this aggressively red lipstick that she kept reapplying. And she kept talking about her advocacy for so many things, which was, like, the hottest thing ever. So . . . I kissed her in a broom closet."</p><p>Jaime sputtered out a laugh. "<em>Broom closet?</em>"</p><p>"It had to be secret!" she defended. "Bruce Wayne's adopted daughter can't exactly be seen kissing a 'mysterious' girl, can she?"</p><p>"Nope." Bart shrugged. "But she can be seen kissing--"</p><p>"Oh, shut <em>up!</em>"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>go check me out on wp (euphoricsenses), where i DON'T forget i haven't published the chapters. chapters 20-22 have been done for forever, i just forgot to publish them on here too</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Babysitting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>"YOU'RE HOLDING THE BABY WRONG."</b>
</p><p>Emori scowled as she handed Bart's father over to him. "Yeah, well, I held, like, one baby in my entire life. And <em>definitely</em> not one that squirms at the speed of sound."</p><p>Bart looked over his shoulder toward Jaime, who had Dawn perched on his knee, the toddler giggling as his armor repeatedly retracted on and off. "Looks like someone has it covered."</p><p>She huffed. "You two have the cool powers for dealing with babies. I mean, what kid wants to get blasted with a sound wave?"</p><p>"It sounds tempting."</p><p>She scoffed and resisted the urge to flick him across the head. "Yeah, sure. Tell me that next time you get caught in the crossfire."</p><p>"Uh-uh," Iris reprimanded, pointing a finger at the two. "No soundwaves in the house, remember? And no trying to combine your powers either." She gave a pointed look toward Jaime. "My roses have just grown back after a year, I'd like them to stay that way."</p><p>The last time Emori, Bart, and Jaime had tried to combine their powers after seeing M'gann fling Cassie like a missile, it didn't go well. Emori had flung Bart (as gently as she could) with a sound wave, he had use his super speed to travel as fast as a bullet, and Jaime fired a plasma cannon directly at him. It ended with all of them on their backs, Bart in the roses, Emori in the sandbox, and Jaime stuck in a tree. </p><p>Since then, Iris had banned combining powers, and Barry had laid down a forceful rule of if powers were used in the house, they were used <em>moderately</em>. Bart was currently speeding Barry's children around the house faster than the blink of an eye, the shrill sound of childrens' laughs echoing off the walls. Emori hoped that was moderately.</p><p>Jaime seemed to be having a silent argument with himself, angrily whispering things until he finally seemed to reach an agreement. Emori's eyebrows pinched together questioningly and he sighed. "Khaji, he's, uh, not a fan of kids. Mostly. He thinks they're leeches." He stopped for a second, the scarab clearly saying something else, but he ignored it. "And he thinks using the armor to entertain them is stupid, but he's not really in control, <em>is he?</em>"</p><p>Emori laughed, and she had to keep her surprise to herself. While she had talked to Jaime about the scarab, even gone as far as to once have a brief few-second conversation <em>with</em> the scarab, she had never enjoyed it too much. She knew the future wasn't Jaime or the scarab's fault, they were both victims of The Reach just as much as she was, but talking to Khaji always unnerved her.</p><p>She didn't have too much time to think about it, because Iris was opening the door, and then <em>Queen Mera</em> was walking through with her son Artur. Emori met them once, at Wally's funeral, but it was still a shock to see them again. Bart had met them several times after helping out with the playdates the spouses of the heroes or ex heroes would throw, but <em>still</em>, Emori couldn't believe she was meeting and Atlantean queen.</p><p>One of her closest friends was the queen of Vlatva, but she felt like that didn't count. It wasn't an underwater kingdom.</p><p>"Dad, slow down!" Bart yelled as he chased after the twins, scooping them up into his arms before they crashed into Artur.</p><p>"Don't call him dad!" Iris reprimanded.</p><p>"Right, right, spoilers." Bart sat the twins down, pointing a finger at them, and they promptly sped away, Artur chasing after them. "Well, I tried."</p><p>Iris and Mera sat down on the couch, talking about a kind of sorcery used in Atlantis that Iris seemed fascinated with. Emori had never met a sorcerer before she came, most of Atlantis was wiped out within the first few years of The Reach landing. She had since met Kaldur and La'gaan, but that was as far as it went.</p><p>When the doorbell rang again, Jaime answered it, and Emori could only stand as Lian came running through, dashing toward the playroom. R.A.--<em>Will</em>--walked in seconds later, a bright smile on his face as he exchanged a few words with Jaime, and he gave a brief greeting to Emori as he passed into the living room.</p><p>Emori blinked, nearly stumbling back a step as she leaned against the wall. None of the adults seemed to notice how she was staring, as if she'd just seen her entire world walk through the front door.</p><p>Bart was right beside her before she knew it, and she could practically hear his wince out loud. "Oh. That's . . . that's so not crash." </p><p>"Yep," she mumbled. "Not crash at all."</p><p>He said something else, but Emori couldn't hear it because he was on her bad side, but he sped over to the adults, asked Iris something, and was back again. Again, he said something, but Emori barely caught a word over the kids' screaming from the room over.</p><p>"Okay," she said. "I have no idea what you just said."</p><p>"I asked gr--Iris if they could handle the kids," he said, louder this time. "She said they'll be fine."</p><p>Emori shook her head. "No, I'm fine I just--"</p><p>R.A. laughed, head thrown back at something Mera said, and Emori nodded as she felt her chest seize. "Yeah, I'm done."</p><p>The three of them went out the back door, into the backyard, and Bart threw his arms, gesturing in front of them. "Ta-da! Our little clubhouse! For today, at least."</p><p>It was a treehouse, built into a large tree in the backyard, no windows except for the trap door in the bottom of it. Emori didn't ask why it was there, since it was older than the twins, but she had a feeling it was Wally's from when he was a kid. There was a crudely carved <em>WW</em> on the side.</p><p>"Hey, Bart," Jaime said, "I don't know if you noticed, but there's no ladder."</p><p>He was right. It was well over Emori's head, arguably over six feet in the air, a jump that she could never make alone.</p><p>"Oh." Bart turned to Jaime, a mischievous grin on his face. "But <em>someone</em> can fly."</p><p>Jaime huffed, grumbling under his breath at them, and a thruster appeared on his back for a brief moment, long enough for him to narrowly make it through the door in the bottom of the tree house.</p><p>"Woo, go Jaime!" Bart yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Touchdown!"</p><p>The boy rolled his eyes, a smile on his face as he grabbed Bart's forearms and helped him up into the treehouse. That left Emori, staring up, not nearly as tall as them. It required her to jump for them to reach her hands.</p><p>"C'mon, just jump," Jaime said. "We'll pull you up."</p><p>"Yeah, definitely."</p><p>Bart didn't sound too convincing, but Emori jumped upward anyway, the two each grabbing one of her arms as they pulled her up into the treehouse. She had to kick up to fully get in, her legs kicking back and forth like a cartoon, but she eventually made it up. </p><p>She frowned down at her shirt. "Aw, man. This was one of my favorite shirts."</p><p>There was a rip down it on the front, caused from a nail poking out from the door. At least it was just her shirt, she could have impaled herself on it.</p><p>"Oh no, it's ripped," Bart said, fake disappoint filling his voice. A cheshire grin spread across his face and he linked his fingers together.</p><p>Emori laughed so abruptly she nearly choked on air, Jaime following suit. "I'm not taking my shirt off," she wheezed. </p><p>Bart shrugged, a smile on his face, and they slowly quieted down. The treehouse was obviously spacious for a child--except it was filled with two tall muscular teenage boys and a teenage girl, so they squeezed in, legs tangled together.</p><p>As it got later, they eventually merged into laying right next to each other, Emori in the middle, one of them on each side of her, their shoulders touching, her ankle crossed over Jaime's so she didn't have to sit it on the nail.</p><p>It was hard to think about the not-R.A. sitting in the house when they were right beside her, turning the rather cold air warm. Jaime always was warm, the scarab caused his body heat to always be above average to prevent hypothermia even if it was only slightly cold. Bart was always warm, no matter the temperature. It was something about being a speedster, it made him feel like a little furnace tucked into her side.</p><p>"I missed you guys," Emori sighed. "I had other friends, but it's just not the same. You're--you're more than that."</p><p>Jaime knocked his foot into hers. "Yeah. I know."</p><p>Emori wanted to say so many things, to talk until everything was said, but she didn't. They only sat in silence, enjoying each other's presence, warming each other from the cool September air.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Choices</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>"OH, I'M SORRY I'M RUNNING LATE, THE TRADE CONFERENCE WAS ENDLESS."</b>
</p><p>"No worries, Perdita," Gar assured. "The club will still be there."</p><p>"Oh, you're a doll. I'll be right out!"</p><p>"Looking like a princess, I'll bet."</p><p>Tye made a gagging motion. "Can you two get<em> any</em> more romantic?"</p><p>"Looks like <em>someone's </em>jealous they can't woo a certain someone," Gar teased, arching an eyebrow. Tye sputtered, failing to find the right argument. "Mhm, exactly."</p><p>Gar spotted the goggles on the table and picked them up, eyeing them. "Goode Goggles. They as cool as everyone says?"</p><p>"I only just received them as a gift!" Perdita yelled from the bathroom. I haven't even tried them yet."</p><p>"Mind if I check 'em out, <em>Your Majesty?</em>"</p><p>"You are not allowed to call me that, or it's off with you head!"</p><p>Emori snorted as the two went back and forth for another moment, Gar finally getting the okay. "You wanna try?" he asked Tye.</p><p>"I'll try after you. After all, you're the one that's practically Goode royalty, right?"</p><p>Gar smirked. "Well, don't mind if I do." He moved his hands out in front of him, seemingly swiping between games by how the goggles beeped. "Space Trek? Hey, maybe I can play myself." There was a low rumble of noise from the goggles that Emori couldn't quite make out. "Ha! I am playing myself!"</p><p>"Ugh, why couldn't my powers be something cool so I could play as myself?" Tye propped his feet on the coffee table. "Who wants a giant gold man?"</p><p>"Dude, your powers are so cool," Emori said. "I saw you take out six Reach warriors with your hand. It's, like, the most overpowered power there is."</p><p>"Hm. I guess." He rested his hands behind his head, fiddling with his orange bandana. "Hey, wasn't the light on the side of the goggles just blue?"</p><p>"I don't know. Maybe it's just something that happens as you finish a level?"</p><p>Tye shrugged right as Perdita came out of the bathroom. "Maybe."</p><p>"How do I look?"</p><p>Emori smiled. "You look great, Perdita. And see? I told you blue was your color."</p><p>The blonde looked down at her navy blue tank top. "I suppose you were right. Garfield?"</p><p>"Just a sec," he said. "I'm at the final level."</p><p>Tye rolled his eyes. "There's always another level."</p><p>Emori smiled at the joke. It was Jaime's favorite phrase, right as he played three more and made them several minutes late.</p><p>When Gar stood Emori and Tye slowly got to their feet, grabbing their phones and stretching. They were going to a club, one that Gar had heard about. He managed to get them VIP, which Emori and Tye were still freaking out about.</p><p>"I need to go to Encino now."</p><p>"I thought you said the club's in Hollywood," Perdita said with a smile.</p><p>"I need to go to Encino now."</p><p>Emori and Tye exchanged a quick look. "Perdita," she said, voice deathly calm, "step back."</p><p>"What? Is something wrong?"</p><p>Suddenly the Goode goggles sparked, and they all gasped.</p><p>"Get those things off!" Tye yelled.</p><p>Emori took them off quickly, but it was no use. Gar's eyes were wide, yet the color itself was small. He was standing, robotic, and didn't even notice as Perdita desperately waved her hand in front of his face.</p><p>"No, no, no, no, no," Perdita whispered, checking his pulse. "Your pulse. It's so faint . . ."</p><p>Gar groaned, and with a wobble of his balance, fell to the floor, his head narrowly missing the coffee table.</p><p>"<em>Gar!</em>"</p><p>Emori wasn't sure which one of them yelled it, but they were all beside him in less than a second. "Come on, come on, don't do this," she whispered. "I've seen you get blown up like six times, please don't let some cheap-ass goggles kill you."</p><p>"What do we do?" Perdita said, borderline-hysterical. "How did this--how did this happen? He was fine!"</p><p>"You call 911," Emori ordered. "I'll call his sister. Okay? Hopefully one of them gets here soon enough."</p><p>Emori stood and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her for the privacy of the call. She chewed on her lip nervously until it started to bleed. It took three calls for M'gann to finally answer.</p><p>"Emori?" she said. "Why did you call three times?"</p><p>"Gar he--he did something." There were tears in her eyes, she couldn't seem to breathe fast enough. "I don't know, he just--he just <em>fell</em>. He was playing with these stupid VR goggles, and then he got all robotic and just . . . passed out. We can't get him to wake up a-and--"</p><p>"It's okay, just tell me where you are."</p><p>She could hear Perdita in the other room crying.</p><p>"A-At the Lex Luthor Hotel, the one in Los Angeles. Please, M'gann, this isn't--something's wrong. He kept talking about Encino, and I don't even know what the fuck that is--"</p><p>"Emori, <em>Emori, </em>calm down," M'gann whispered. "Connor and I are on our way. Keep making sure he's breathing until we get there."</p><p>"I--okay, I can do that."</p><p>The call ended, and Emori walked out of the room to see Perdita holding Gar's hand tight in her own. "It's gonna be okay, Garfield. The doctors are on their way." She turned with glassy eyes once she saw Emori. "Are they coming? Did you get them?"</p><p>"They'll be here." Emori stared blankly at Gar's unconscious body, feeling the sudden urge to throw up. "I--I'm gonna step out on the balcony. I need some air."</p><p>She didn't bother to shut the sliding door behind her, she only collided into the railing, gasping for air. She didn't care that she could practically taste the gasoline in it, it was better than in the hotel room. Gar was still alive, and that's what was important, but she couldn't stare at him a second longer. She couldn't watch another person die, not again.</p><p>Tears fell down into the street below as she took deep breaths, holding onto the railing so tight she chipped some of the paint beneath her fingers. <em>It was going to be okay. Gar was strong, he could handle whatever it was</em>.</p><p>Emori came back into the room when the paramedics arrived, watching with a knuckle between her teeth as they lifted Gar onto a gurney. Tye was on the couch, tugging at his hair nervously, trying to look anywhere but at where their friend was.</p><p>M'gann and Connor appeared in the doorway and Perdita ushered them in, a constant babble of worry as she gestured at Gar.</p><p>"<em>Stop!</em>"</p><p>"Are you kidding me?" the female paramedic said, eyeing M'gann. "This green kid needs a hospital!"</p><p>"That green kid is my brother," M'gann argued. Her skin was rapidly turning from pale to green. "I know what he needs."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Emori said as M'gann's eyes glowed green. Connor was kicking the paramedics out. "I-I didn't know if you could fix this, I don't know what this is. He just . . ."</p><p>"You did the right thing." M'gann's eyes went back to their normal amber color. "Gar's in a psychic fugue state. I have to help him find his way out." She looked to Connor. "You're my anchor."</p><p>"Always."</p><p>"Then I'm going in."</p><p>Emori pulled at her hair until a small amount came out, pacing across the hotel room as Perdita anxiously held her boyfriend's hand. Emori could fight an army of Reach warriors for four days, but she couldn't fix whatever was happening to Gar. It was so <em>unfair</em>.</p><p>Connor came back from answering the door--<em>with Dick</em>. Emori's breath caught in her throat, eyes wide as she stared at him. "He came," Connor explained. "He was worried when he overheard you on the phone."</p><p>"You sounded upset."</p><p>Emori could feel tears starting to build in her eyes as she stared at him. "Get out."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"<em>Get out,</em>" she whispered. "Go back to Happy Harbor, Bludhaven, Gotham--<em>I don't give a shit</em>. Just get the hell out of here and <em>leave me alone</em>."</p><p>"Emori, I--"</p><p>"Do you think it's fun to make me upset? Is that it?" Her fists were shaking at her sides, glowing white. "Do you take pride in it, like it's some kind of fucking <em>revenge?</em>"</p><p>"I didn't--can we go out on the balcony? To talk?"</p><p>"I might throw you over it."</p><p>They went out anyway. Emori stood as far away from him as she could, even though it was only three feet long. If she had to, she would fling herself over the railing and smash into cement. Actually, that seemed much better than the conversation. She looked down at the road below her, then back at Dick.</p><p>"I-I don't know if you're actually thinking what I think you are," Dick whispered. "But please don't. I know you're terrified. Maybe I could have handled things better, I just . . . I didn't understand. It didn't make sense."</p><p>"And now you understand." A tear trailed down her cheek. "Okay? Is that what you wanted? To straighten this out or something?"</p><p>"Emori, you're my<em> sister,</em>" he said. "Niece, or I--I don't know anymore, okay? I don't know what we are anymore. But I don't want to lose you."</p><p>"Can you just <em>stop?</em>" she whispered, shoulders shaking. "I-I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for everything to be so fucking messed up. Do you think I wanted everyone to die? Or to come back and face my worst fear? No! <em>I didn't have a fucking choice! </em>I didn't get to choose! Everyone just expected me to be fine and okay with everything! You don't get it!"</p><p>She wiped at her face, the tears hot on her cheeks. "I'm not supposed to exist! I made everything so complicated. Have you tried surviving every day running with a baby that cries? It's <em>impossible</em>. But my dad never complained, he said if he got caught being my dad, that would be the way he wanted to go down. <em>And that's how he fucking did</em>. I killed him, and I killed him this time too! I can't do it again."  She let out a sob, shoulders shaking until she couldn't breathe. "Why don't you get that?"</p><p>"I . . . I don't know what happened to you, or any of that. But it doesn't matter. Because I don't care if--if you're my brother's daughter or not, or how he comes back. I care about <em>you</em>. You're a Wayne--bat, whatever you want to call it--here, too. You're one of us."</p><p>Her chest felt like it was being ripped apart when she saw his own red eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do this."</p><p>"You didn't do anything, okay? Just step away from the railing. Just--just come to me."</p><p>She blinked so suddenly it almost hurt. "Did--did you think I was going to jump?"</p><p>"Yeah, I did."</p><p>And somehow that was the trigger. She took a step forward and he met her, wrapping her in his arms so tight she nearly couldn't breathe as she sobbed. She didn't care if this wasn't the Dick that had raised her. This Dick was just as important to her.</p><p>He didn't care that she lied. Because he cared for her just as much as cared for Jason.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Fleeting Memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>IT WAS HALLOWEEN, AND MUCH TO BART'S ANNOYANCE, THERE HAD BEEN A MISSION. </b>It was last minute, and M'gann called them in. They stopped a meta-trafficking warehouse, and all of the teens that hadn't been shipped off were being taken to the Meta Youth Center, where Jaime said Ed would meet them and get them settled in. That was the plan, just keep in contact with Ed and make sure they made it safely, but it somehow merged into going to the youth center themselves.</p><p>Jaime said they were always trying to find a way to make the place seem less like a lab and more like a home, so they were doing there own version of Halloween there. A party, candy, everything. Ed had met them, a smudge of white paint still on his face after he washed it off in a hurry to meet the new meta-teens, and had said they could wash up in the communal showers, that they would be welcome to join, and that the others would love to have Blue Beetle and Kid Flash joining.</p><p>Ed had also explained that there would be a neon paint station set up for those that could use it, as well as a face paint station for those that didn't like the neon or the black lights. While Emori had been hesitant to stay until Bart pestered them into it, she was looking forward to that part. She had never participated in anything Halloween related, the closest thing was eating candy with Tim and watching sixties horror movies.</p><p>Emori's hair was half-dry by the time Jaime finally came out of the shower, wearing shorts as he opened shower curtains to peek inside. She very purposely looked anywhere <em>but</em> his bare torso. "Have any of you seen my shirt?"</p><p>"And you think it would be in the <em>shower?</em>"</p><p>Jaime rolled his eyes. "Well I don't know, Emori, it has to be <em>somewhere</em>."</p><p>After looking for another five minutes while Emori and Bart put on their shoes, Emori finally resided to throwing him an oversized sweatshirt she had in her duffel bag. "It'll fit you," she said. "It's, like, three sizes too big for me, I usually wear it after missions if I'm scraped up."</p><p>"Yeah, that scrape on your shoulder is pretty . . ."</p><p>"Nasty?" Emori finished, making him laugh.</p><p>"Uh, pretty much, yeah."</p><p>She had gotten flung across the warehouse by a man the size of a gorilla, which ended with her skidding across the cement floor and into the wall. M'gann had cleaned it, applied ointment and even wrapped it, but it still stung awfully. Hopefully the lights would be dark enough that no one notices that she had scratches all across her body.</p><p>"So, do we just . . . go out there?" Emori asked. "I mean, I've been to parties before--kinda--but never . . . with only people my own age."</p><p>"It'll be fine," Jaime assured her as they walked out of the bathroom, duffel bags locked away in the lockers. "Besides, we'll be with you the whole time. We don't really have anyone here, either."</p><p>Bart nodded as he tried to fix his wet hair so it didn't flick him in the eye. "Yeah, and you're the only one that's ever been Halloweening, so we're stickin' with you."</p><p>Jaime blinked in surprise. "Wait, you guys have never done anything for Halloween? Oh my god, how have I never realized this?"</p><p>"Well, tradition kinda fell out by the time we were born," Emori explained. "And Halloween scared me when I came here, so I never did it. I mean, everyone's wearing costumes and handing you things. How do you know it isn't poisoned? Or that the person next to you isn't trying to murder you?"</p><p>Jaime tried to find a way to respond for nearly thirty seconds. He didn't have to, because they reached the doors to the "banquet room," where the party was being held. There was another room to watch movies, where some people had went, and Emori was temped to go there by how intimidating the party was, but Bart didn't give her time to think as he dragged her into the vast room.</p><p>"We're getting our faces painted!" he announced over the music. "It's gonna be themed like our costumes!"</p><p>Emori laughed, rolling her eyes as they reached the table. "God, I love you guys so much."</p><p>Bart, who was the only one in her line of sight, looked at her with wide eyes, and Emori felt heat rise to her cheeks as she turned to the painter and started to explain what she wanted. </p><p>She thought the feeling of someone strange so close to her, hands on her face, would have terrified her, but it was strangely nice. The paint was cold, and she could feel every brush stroke, painfully gentle. It felt nearly euphoric by the time the tall woman finished, and when she held up a mirror, Emori nearly gushed at the sight.</p><p>There were purple lines like veins across her face, trailing down just above her throat, flares of white coming from them, the white seeming to explode with a flash of neon blue around her eyes, the same blue that was on her lips. It was better than she could had ever described.</p><p>"Oh my god," Emori whispered. "This is--thank you, ma'am."</p><p>"Just call me Del," the woman said loudly, her neon yellow lips stretching into a smile.</p><p>Emori smiled at her one last time and turned toward Jaime and Bart, who she expected to have Kid Flash and Blue Beetle themed faces, but seemed to have the same idea as her. The paints looked like their powers. Bart had yellow arcs of lightning, one touching down on his lips, the red exploding from it like the bolt itself had turned his lips red. Then there was Jaime, face a million shades of blue, something that looked like plasma cannon but not quite, but something that felt like his powers all the same.</p><p>"You guys look so cool," she said.</p><p>Bart said something, and Emori leaned forward, gesturing to her left ear slightly. The music was loud, and unless the person was standing right beside her or talking loudly, she couldn't hear a thing.</p><p>He stepped forward to whisper into her ear. "I said yours looks cool, too."</p><p>Emori was thankful for the paint because it toned down the flush in her cheeks. "I--um, thank you. Thanks."</p><p>Bart smiled, and he grabbed their hands, pulling them into the dancing crowd. "C'mon, dance!"</p><p>"I don't know how to dance!" she yelled, a laugh erupting from her.</p><p>"Just move to the music!" Bart did an exaggerated move of his limbs that looked like an octopus. "See? Like that!"</p><p>Jaime laughed, but it was silent under the thrum of music that pounded in Emori's chest. Dancing with them the best she could, faces lit by paint, heart pounding, she felt weightless. Like her youth was untouchable for once, that she had just this moment to herself, with them, and nothing could ruin it. That they would never leave, that this moment would live on forever.</p><p>Thoughts about everything quickly creeped in, mostly about Dick, but she pushed them away, allowing herself to get lost in how Jaime and Bart twirled her, or how Bart seemed to make everyone just as happy as he was.</p><p>When Jaime brushed his thumb across her cheekbone she found herself leaning into it, cheeks flushed, until he held up a purple thumb. She heard some of what he said, and pieced together that she had rubbed the paint wrong and splotched it.</p><p>She smiled. "Here, you smudged yours too."</p><p>Emori tried not to notice how her stomach seemed to come alive when her thumb wiped at the blue smudged across the corner of his mouth, or how his eyes briefly flicked to her own. </p><p>"There," she said, wiping the blue on her shorts. "All fixed."</p><p>"Aw, what am I, chopped liver?" Bart commented, pulling what she liked to call puppy dog eyes.</p><p>She laughed. "Bart, yours isn't even messed up."</p><p>He wiggled his eyebrows. "Y'know, that can be taken care of."</p><p>Emori rolled her eyes, walked up to him, and kissed him on the cheek, a flush of blue against yellow. "There you go, now it's messed up."</p><p>Bart's eyes were wide. "Y-Yeah, messed up, totally messed up."</p><p>She had the sudden urge to pull him toward her, to make his lips a vibrant purple, but she didn't. </p><p>When she turned back to Jaime, he seemed to be whispering an argument to the scarab, and something about it was so comical she couldn't help but laugh. "You good?"</p><p>He blinked in surprise. "Me? Yeah, yeah, I'm good I just--the scarab, always saying to pull out the plasma cannon." </p><p>Jaime was awful at lying, but it was cute, so she let him do it anyway.</p><p>"You know," she said, "I think you look good in my clothes. You should do it more often."</p><p>Even under the neon paint, his cheeks flushed red as he stuttered for an answer. It only made Emori and Bart laugh as he frowned at them.</p><p>She smiled, wider than she'd probably ever smiled, brushing shoulders with the two, lost in the sea of the people and the music.</p><p>When she was asked what her favorite memory was, it was always one that was nestled between hurt and anger, one that had an undertone of misery. But that moment--the one where her lips were blue and yellow--it was a kind of happy she had never experienced.</p><p>A kind she would do anything to keep.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Just Like Old Times</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>RIGHT AFTER THE MISSION ON HALLOWEEN, THEY HAD FOUND PRINCESS TARA.</b> Emori hadn't been there, and Dick was angry because he had called her ten times so she could come with, but she had left her phone in the bathroom with all of her stuff during the party. The mission to save Tara was all about stealth--they had to go undercover in a meta auction--and Emori knew it would have been better if she was there to be their invisible aid. But she wasn't.</p><p>But since then she had been there, helping Reyna with her powers, and slowly trying to get Vic to be less of an asshole.</p><p>And there was <em>that</em>. Victor Stone. Emori didn't know since she and Dick weren't on speaking terms when it happened, but Vic had part of a Fatherbox inside of him, which was the half-cyborg part of his body. And even more, Violet was a Motherbox, too. Or at least the spirit of it, which is what gave her her powers. So Violet wasn't whoever she was before.</p><p>It was a lot for Emori to take in, but she was from the future, and the daughter of a man who was brought back to life from the Lazarus Pit, so it didn't take long for her to understand.</p><p>"I cannot believe this is your first breakfast burrito," Violet said, happily eating hers. "An entire meal wrapped in a warm tortilla, pure enjoyment for mouth and hands."</p><p>Brion smiled. "My sister and I were raised in a castle where eating with one's hands was not encouraged."</p><p>Vic chuckled at that. "I'm guessing you only ate with those silver spoons you were born with, huh?"</p><p>"Hmm," Brion hummed. "And your life with your eminent scientist father was one of economic hardship?"</p><p>Emori nearly choked on her burrito.</p><p>Dick cleared his throat. "Listen, you've all reached a crossroads. Vic, you have your own decisions to make, but Brion, Tara, Violet, Reyna, Forager--we feel the four of you are ready to work with the Justice League's covert-ops team to help mankind."</p><p>"But being a hero isn't for everyone," Conner reminded them. "This is a choice each of you have to make for yourself. And the decision you make now doesn't have to be a permanent one."</p><p>"No judgement," Artemis said. "Either way."</p><p>"You've already risked your lives for each other and for the meta-teens we rescued in Bialya," Dick said. "That's enough."</p><p>"I've made my choice." Brion glanced at Violet and put a hand on Tara's shoulder. "And Bialya has proven I made the right one. To protect the innocent, no matter the danger."</p><p>"But facing danger isn't a mandatory part of our mission," Conner informed. "Troia of Themyscira and Garth of Atlantis both left the front lines. Now they fight the good fight <em>inside</em> the system as ambassadors of the United Nations."</p><p>"And you need to know there is no shame in leaving this life behind," Artemis said. "A few years back, I quit the Team with . . . Wally West, the first Kid Flash." She cleared her throat. "We went to college, rented an apartment. We had a life together."</p><p>Emori shut her eyes tightly to hold back the burn in them. She could talk about Wally now, she'd talked to Bart about him before, but that was different. This was worse. Even as two years passed, the grief was still achingly real.</p><p>"And then Wally, my best friend, came back to the life and sacrificed <em>everything</em> so we could all be here today." Dick's voice caught at the 'everything.' "At the ruins of our former headquarters, our former home. Another sacrifice made for the greater good."</p><p>"So the three of us"--Conner glanced at Emori--"<em>four </em>of us live with the consequences of these sacrifices. We stand for those who have fallen and we fight for those who can't. That's our choice. But it doesn't have to be yours."</p><p>"And today's the day we are to make this important life decision?" Violet asked.</p><p>"Yeah," Dick said, a strange air to his tone. "Today's the day."</p><p>Violet looked at Emori. "How did you decide?"</p><p>Her eyes went wide and she looked helplessly toward the three adults. "Am I allowed to . . . y'know? Is that classified?"</p><p>Artemis glanced at her friends. "We never actually had that discussion, did we? We never talked about if new recruits should know about that."</p><p>Conner shrugged. "They'll find out sooner or later, Bart will probably say it eventually."</p><p>Vic had put down his phone and was looking expectantly toward her. "C'mon, you can't just stop there after the big guys said it was classified."</p><p>Emori blew out a breath of air until is whistled. "So, um, my name's Emori Wayne, which you guys already knew, but I wasn't always Bruce Wayne's adopted kid. Or even in this timeline."</p><p>Vic blinked in confusion. "I'm sorry, <em>what?</em>"</p><p>"I'm from the future," she explained. "An alternate future that--<em>fingers crossed</em>--no longer exists. I came back in time with the current Kid Flash to stop the Reach, those aliens from two years ago."</p><p>Vic nodded, eyes wide as he stared down at his burrito. "So you're from a future where the Reach won?"</p><p>"Yep." She held tightly onto the string of her jacket. "So I didn't really make a decision. It was either live enslaved or try to stop them, it wasn't like I had anything to lose." She did, she lost R.A. "But after the Reach were gone, I stopped. For two years, I wasn't a hero anymore, I didn't want to be one. That's the important thing about making this decision--once you're one, there's no going back, it's like an addiction. Only some people can do it right. And when it's time for you to become one, you just know. That's how I knew it was time for me to come back."</p><p>Reyna bit her lip nervously from where she was leaning against the rock next to Vic. "I want to join this . . . team."</p><p>"Me too," Violet said. "I want to join this 'team.'"</p><p>Brion nodded. "If she is, I will too."</p><p>Forager clicked his tongue. "Forager will join Nightwing's team."</p><p>Tara stopped eating her burrito once she realized everyone was looking at her. "I-I will join this team."</p><p>She didn't seem sure of her answer, and Emori wanted to assure her that they weren't expecting her to, that she could say no, but she had a feeling that would only make it worse.</p><p>It was just like old times.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Other Side</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>"HURRY, TYE!"</b>
</p><p>"I'm going!"</p><p>They were supposed to be at the Meta-Youth center twenty minutes before, but the Zeta Beams at the center were broken, and they had to skateboard the rest of the way from the one in Taos.</p><p>She jumped off her longboard and held it under her arm, Tye behind her as they ran through the doors of the center. "Do you remember where it was?"</p><p>"No, I thought you did!"</p><p>Emori cursed under her breath, and after a few minutes of running around, they finally got directions from a young girl, who pointed them in the right direction. When they came in, Ed was talking, and Emori smiled sheepishly as all eyes turned to her.</p><p>"And like I was saying, me and Neut are peer counselors." Ed smiled at Emori as she hurried up to a seat on stage, her board discarded at the wall. "And Emori here is . . . a part-time peer counselor. We've all been through the same thing, we're here to help."</p><p>She waved at the small crowd of teenagers.</p><p>She and Ed had talked on the phone a week before, and with a little bit of training from Black Canary and M'gann, Emori was a part-time peer counselor. Ed thought it would be best having someone that "understood how the kids felt" more than they did, and Emori knew he meant in the 'at someone's mercy' feeling. He was right, they needed someone that understood how they felt, but it would have been nice to have more than a week's time to prepare.</p><p>At least Tye was there. Asami volunteered at the center, which meant Tye spent time there, which meant Emori would see them often. At least she had one friend there. It made the fact that Neutron--the man that had built the time machine and taken off her inhibitor collar--was sitting right next to her.</p><p>A younger version of him, but still him.</p><p>"You will also receive training on how to deal with your new meta-abilities," Ed's dad said. "</p><p>"You all feel like freaks," Ed translated loosely. "Believe me, I know. But that feeling doesn't have to last forever."</p><p>"Control is the goal here at Taos," his father agreed. "Which is why you'll have the option of wearing an inhibitor collar. This can turn off your powers completely if you like." Just <em>seeing</em> one made bile rise in Emori's throat. "Full disclosure, these collars were originally developed for meta-criminals in Belle Reve Penitentiary."</p><p>"The difference here is, you're in control." Ed smiled gently. "You decide when to put the collar on, when to take it off, or whether you want one at all."</p><p>"Either way, the ultimate goal is to safely reintegrate each and every one of you back into society."</p><p>Ed picked up the collar lightly. "Without this. Trust me."</p><p>"Now we'll split into groups," his father said. "Each counselor will take some of you and talk privately in a room, and then we will have our first session with your powers. If at any point you want to stop, let them know and it will be over."</p><p>Ed smiled. "So who's ready?"</p><p>No one said anything. Emori hoped that was a good sign.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>"MY NAME'S EMORI, </em></b>which you guys probably already knew, and I'm a friend of Ed's. That's how I became a peer counselor here."</p><p>"Your name's weird," a girl said. Her name was Marcia. "Is it Latin or something?"</p><p>"No, it's--my dad named me after a character in a book he read when he was a kid," she explained. "It's stupid, but that's my name."</p><p>There were four people in her group, and they were seated in the gymnasium. There was Marcia, who had the ability to project a clone of herself. Then there was Francine, with the ability to generate low levels of electricity through her hands. Danai, who could make her skin meltingly hot. Henry, who could turn into metal. And lastly Regina, who could barely feel any form of pain or weight.</p><p>Hopefully Emori was prepared enough for them.</p><p>"So, they wanted us to get started with just saying a few things about ourselves, since we'll be a group until you're all ready. Start with your name, age, where you're from, and your favorite color."</p><p>"I'm Henry, I'm, uh, thirteen and from Liverpool. And I like red."</p><p>"Marcia. I'm eleven, I'm from Brazil, and I like green."</p><p>"I'm Francine, I'm from New York City, I'm fifteen and I like the color purple."</p><p>"I'm Danai. I am from Zimbabwe, I am fourteen, and my favorite color is yellow."</p><p>"I'm Regina, I'm sixteen, I'm from California, I guess, and I guess I like yellow."</p><p>Emori smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet all of you. I'm Emori, I'm fifteen, I'm from Gotham City in New Jersey, and my favorite color is green."</p><p>"You're Bruce Wayne's kid, right?" Regina asked. "His newest one?"</p><p>She nearly snorted at the last part. "Yeah, that's me. Officially my last name's Wayne."</p><p>The others seemed to think it was cool that she was Bruce Wayne's adopted daughter, but she quickly steered the topic away from that and to what they were supposed to be talking about. "We've all had similar experiences. With being taken, or just with our meta-abilities. Does anyone want to talk about that?" She sighed when no one said anything. "We have thirty minutes to fill before training, and I don't know about you guys, but that's a really long time to wait."</p><p>"Did Bruce Wayne give you your powers?" Marcia suddenly asked. "How long have you had your powers? Are you actually from Gotham?"</p><p>She smiled. "Alright, I guess we're talking about that. But no, Bruce didn't give me my powers, he's an evil genius, but not that far. I got mine from the Reach two years ago, just like Ed and the others." It wasn't technically a lie, but she couldn't tell the truth. "And I'm not from Gotham, I'm from . . . I'm from Texas, originally."</p><p>It was a complete lie, but it was the first actual place that came to mind, and she ran with it. She couldn't say "Wastelands" as an answer, and "Labor Camp #432" wasn't much better. </p><p>"Do you know any superheroes?" Marcia asked. "Bruce Wayne does, he pays for the Justice League. And Ed and Neut know a bunch of them--they even got Blue Beetle to stop by here once."</p><p>Emori smiled at the mention of Jaime. "Yeah, I know some of them. Maybe one day I can convince some of them to stop by? If you guys don't mind it?"</p><p>Regina glanced at her suspiciously. "Like which heroes?"</p><p>A mischievous look crossed her face. "Name any of the ones on Earth, I can rope them into it somehow."</p><p>"Kid Flash," Regina said. "Or Arsenal, he's that solo guy in California, no one knows him."</p><p>"Oh, I totally know him." Emori pulled out her phone. "Let's see if he'll answer my Facetime this time--he used to have me blocked, I sent him too many tweets about him and he got mad."</p><p>Danai squinted at his contact name. "Gun . . . man?"</p><p>"He likes guns," she explained. "It's kinda his thing."</p><p>The signature sound rang out, and they all scooted their seats closer to the phone, some of their eyes wide as they waited anxiously. Emori hoped he'd pick up, or else she would look so stupid. Bart would pick up, but no offense to him, he was way below Roy or Jaime.</p><p>It connected and Emori saw the blurry view of a rooftop, where he was seated on an air conditioning unit angrily trying to fix the crossbow mount on his arm that had broken again. "This stupid fucking thing broke again! I swear, you can't have shit--"</p><p>"<em>Arsenal! </em>I'm with children!"</p><p>His head shot up, and he brought the phone closer to his face, where he could see the five heads perched around the camera. "Uh, Emori? Care to share?"</p><p>"This is Marcia, Regina, Francine, Danai, and Henry," she introduced. "Guys, meet Arsenal. Arsenal, meet, uh, guys."</p><p>"...You used me as a popularity point, didn't you?"</p><p>"Oh, definitely. And it totally worked."</p><p>"Why me? Also--where did you find these kids? You have no other friends."</p><p>"Well, rude. And they're from the youth center, remember how I told you I was helping Ed out?"</p><p>"Uh . . . I was half-coherent Friday night, I had a concussion."</p><p>She blinked. "Well did you go to the doctor?"</p><p>"It healed itself."</p><p>She was nearly certain it didn't work like that, but she didn't say anything. "So, they wanted to see if I knew you. So say hi, and <em>be nice.</em>"</p><p>"Hi," Roy said, waving his hand slightly. "Nice to meet you guys."</p><p>Marcia glanced at Emori with wide eyes. "You can tell a hero to do things?"</p><p>"Oh, definitely, he totally owes me." Roy smiled at the inside joke. "And we're friends, so I think it comes with that. Like a package deal."</p><p>"You're friends with a hero?" Henry whispered. "That's so cool."</p><p>"Yeah, it's pretty crash--cool, I mean cool." She smiled at Roy. "Okay, I'll let you fix your . . . arm, make sure to text me when you're off patrol."</p><p>"Ha-ha, I can handle myself."</p><p>"Says the guy who probably still has a concussion from a week ago." She smiled cheekily at him. "Bye, A."</p><p>"<em>Bye, </em>Emori."</p><p>Marcia fixed her gaze on Emori once the call ended. "You are the coolest person ever. Do you know Superman?"</p><p>"Uh, well--"</p><p>"Do you know Batman?" Henry asked.</p><p>"No, I have a better one," Marcia defended. "Do you know Boy Wonder?"</p><p>Ed's dad popped his head in through the gym door and Emori nodded. "Alright, guys, it's time to go to the training room. Are all of you up for that?"</p><p>She wondered if this is what it felt like, to finally be the one on the other side of the training. She had decided that it wasn't that bad.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>reminder: updates are posted more frequently on wattpad, that's why they're posted here in batches. because i literally forget i have my stories on here too lmao, because they're on here as a backup in case they got deleted. so: for frequent updates, author notes, all that: euphoricsenses on wattpad</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Untouchable</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>PERDITA SMILED AT HER AND SAID SOMETHING, BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE OUT OVER THE LOUD WHIRRING OF THE HELICOPTER.</b> Perdita waved her hand, a signal that she'd explain later, and Emori gave her a thumbs up in response.</p><p>Emori had spent the night with Perdita at her hotel (a strict "no Garfield" event), and rode with them in the helicopter to Taos, since Perdita didn't have Zeta-Beam access.</p><p> It had been Ed's idea, and together with Neut's help, they expanded it into what it was: a Harvest Festival. Since a lot of the teens weren't from America, it wasn't <em>technically</em> Thanksgiving, but instead another makeshift party they could have. Plus, Ed and Emori weren't American, either, they just thought it might be a good idea.</p><p>Well, Emori was from the Wastelands of North America, but she was pretty sure that didn't qualify as "American."</p><p>When the helicopter landed, Emori took off the headphones they had been given to protect their ears and struggled slightly to get her seat belt undone. Gar laughed at her, which she purposely ignored, and climbed out of the helicopter. Their friends were already waiting, and Emori sprinted down the steps while Gar helped Perdita out.</p><p>"Did you bring him?" she yelled. "Did you? Did you? Did you, did you, did you--"</p><p>Biscuit ran forward, nearly jerking Jaime's arm off with his leash, and Emori let out a small squeal as she fell to her knees, letting herself get swept away in an ocean of dog. She talked to him in the voice only reserved for animals, cooing as his big tongue licked at her cheek.</p><p>Jaime rolled his eyes. "Havin' fun there, Em?"</p><p>"I don't have enough <em>hands,</em>" she said, anguished. Biscuit was too big, and her hands were too small, and she couldn't pet him nearly fast enough for him to stop turning in giant circles.</p><p>"Hello, Boys," Perdita greeted, eyeing Biscuit. "It's nice to meet you again."</p><p>Emori motioned her over, and Biscuit positively melted at the fact that two people were petting him, and he rolled over onto his back. "Oh! And Perdita, this is Traci--she's a friend of Jaime and Bart's, she's on The Team."</p><p>Perdita smiled and gave a small wave, which made Traci gush even more. "Hello, Traci."</p><p>Gar winked, which only made Perdita and Emori roll their eyes. "Hey, Traci." He glanced at Ed. "Oh, and thanks, you guys, for keeping our arrival quiet. What a relief to have to not deal with the paparazzi."</p><p>"Yeah, I got ice from the lobby last night, and there was a guy from Daily Mail in the bushes," Emori huffed. "Isn't that, like, illegal since I'm a minor? There has to be some kinda law against that."</p><p>"There is," Tye agreed. "They just don't care."</p><p>"Oh. Great."</p><p>Gar smiled. "Let's get this party started!"</p><p>Emori stood and Biscuit followed behind her when she met up with Jaime and Bart. "So," she said as they started to walk toward the festival. "I have a favor to ask."</p><p>Jaime eyed her suspiciously. "...Okay?"</p><p>"I kinda told the group that I'm working with that I know a lot of heroes." Jaime face-palmed. "Hey! It worked, they love me now. But, if you guys could, y'know, throw in a little razzle-dazzle with the suits, it'd be greatly appreciated."</p><p>Bart smiled. "Sorry Rory, I don't bring my suit to festivals."</p><p>"You don't?"</p><p>He blinked at her. "Wait--do you bring your suit everywhere?"</p><p>She purposely didn't look at him. "Uh, totally not--yeah, that's totally not what's in the duffle bag in the helicopter . . ."</p><p>Jaime smiled and muttered something along the lines of 'Jesus Christ' with a bit more language to it.</p><p>"Hey! Not everyone's just sprouts off their back--which, by the way, is so crash. When you just have the suit out of nowhere?" She pinched her fingers together and brought them to her mouth in a taste-like motion. "<em>Chef's kiss.</em>"</p><p>Tye barely held back a smirk. Emori death-glared him, but he still laughed silently to himself, earning an odd look from Asami.</p><p>Bart elbowed her in the side. "Well did they at least say something nice about me?"</p><p>"Yeah, I nearly threw hands with a twelve-year-old." Jaime choked on a laugh. "Marcia said you were, and I quote, 'hotter than Superman when he blew up that building in New York.'"</p><p>Bart's face turned bright red. "Well, I--at least I know I'm good with the ladies."</p><p>"She's twelve."</p><p>"At least I know I'm good with one lady!"</p><p>Emori rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately."</p><p>When their group reached the festival, they began walking around, and Emori waved to a few people, and she made a mental note to go find her group at some point, just to say hi to them. But it all got cut short when she saw one thing.</p><p>"<em>Oh my god!</em>" she gasped, shaking Bart's arm frantically. "Look, look! They have one!"</p><p>He looked around, desperately confused. "A what? Wait, what do they have? I'm so confused!"</p><p>"<em>Bumper cars!</em>" she exclaimed, eyes lit up with glee. "Those little cars that you drive and bump into people with, like you have a little pool float around you? They have those!"</p><p>Bart smiled, barely holding back a laugh. "Do you want to go ride bumper cars?"</p><p>"Definitely," she said, dragging the two boys toward the line. "I've never ridden them before, and I'm making you guys go with me."</p><p>Everyone followed behind them, and Emori managed to talk the gate person into letting all three of them into one car despite the very obvious sign that said two per car. Emori had to sit on the bar where the controls were, between the two seats, but she clutched it tightly between her thighs and calves, determined not to get thrown off the car.</p><p>"That doesn't look very safe," Jaime said. "Maybe I should just ride in another car?"</p><p>"Jaime, I've been thrown out of a high-speed race car before," she said, voice deathly calm as she gripped the gear. "We're doing this."</p><p>Jaime exchanged a frightened look with Bart, and then they were going forward, slamming directly into Tye and Asami's car.</p><p>Asami pointed at Emori, made a rather crude gesture that made Tye burst into laughter, and swerved away to chase Virgil and Ed.</p><p>Emori clutched the bar tighter between her legs when she slid slightly, and the split-second thought of making the car invisible passed in her mind, but she didn't do it. Even thought she definitely wanted to.</p><p>"Hit Traci!" Bart yelled.</p><p>The poor girl's eyes widened, and she yelled in protest, but Emori bumped her into the corner, into Gar and Perdita.</p><p>"Sorry!" Emori yelled, not sorry at all.</p><p>"Bart, your turn!"</p><p>The boy yelled, eyes wide as he frantically grabbed the gear and jerked it to the side to avoid slamming right into two girls. "<em>Dude!</em>"</p><p>She smiled, carefree, and bumped into his shoulder gently, leaning against him. "I can't be the only one having fun!"</p><p>Perdita targeted them, ramming them straight into a wall, and Bart yelled out a weak threat, chasing after the blonde with a new playful fury. Emori and Jaime cheered as he sent their friends into the corner, taking out Ed and Virgil in the process.</p><p>If she had relaxed slightly, trusting that one of the boys would grab her before she fell out of the car, well, that'd be a shame.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>EMORI SMILED AT</em></b> Regina, gesturing fluidly to Gar and Jaime. "This is Gar and Jaime--Gar's the guy that kept calling me Tuesday."</p><p>"I was <em>worried</em>."</p><p>Regina waved shyly. "Hi, I'm Regina."</p><p>"And--well, you probably know Ed already. But yeah, that's Ed. And Bart's around here somewhere, he'll be back in a second--have any of you seen Bart?"</p><p>A gust of wind blew against her face, blowing her hair back, and she sighed when Bart came to a stop, to empty sticks of cotton candy in hand. "I brought cotton candy!"</p><p>"They're empty, Bart."</p><p>"Hey, it's a long way from the booth to here!"</p><p>"It's like twelve feet, but okay." Emori rested a hand on his bicep, which made his cheeks flush pink. "But Regina, this is Bart. Bart, this is Regina."</p><p>The two waved at each other, and Bart plucked a tuft of cotton candy off of Jaime's stick, who yelled in protest and went back to his conversation with Tye. </p><p>Regina went to say something, but she stumbled slightly, clutching her stomach. "I-I don't feel so good . . ."</p><p>Emori caught the older girl in her arms, stumbling with her as she held her under her arms. "Hey, Regina, Regina, can you hear me? What's going on?"</p><p>Her heart thumped a thousand miles an hour in her chest, and then she started to fall, too. She held on tightly to Regina, the girl half-coherent, and Emori's head slammed down into the pavement. She cried out, vision blurry as she heard the sound of others fall around her. The drone of the festival that muddled her hearing was gone, and everything was crystal clear.</p><p>She groaned and looked over to Tye, who was on the ground next to Asami. "S-Someone poisoned us," Emori groaned. "<em>Mother of shit, </em>someone poisoned us."</p><p>Being poisoned wasn't an unfamiliar thing to her, but she least of all expected it to come from a festival.</p><p>"Vertigo."</p><p>At Jaime's statement, Emori managed to push herself onto her forearms and look over. There was Vertigo and his henchman, standing right by Perdita. Anger grew, white hot in her chest--Vertigo had taken those kids, he'd<em> enslaved</em> them, and he was going to do something awful to Perdita, too.</p><p>"You bastard," she groaned. "You stupid, inbred royal <em>bastard.</em>"</p><p>Vertigo looked down at her with disgust. "Such a pathetic thing. Did no one teach you any manners?"</p><p>Her lips twitched into a snarl, and she tried to push herself up, but a cramp ran through her stomach and she fell back down. Vertigo laughed, and Emori could only watch with rage boiling within her as they got into a helicopter, taking Perdita with them.</p><p>She managed to get to her feet as the others did, clutching her stomach lightly. "Tye, can you stay with everyone? Make sure they're safe?"</p><p>He glanced at Asami, who didn't seem overly eager to jump into the middle of it. "Sure. We got this."</p><p>Bart was already gone, speeding after the helicopter, and Emori looked to Jaime. She smiled, wide and mischievous, and he only groaned in response. "Alright, alright. Hop on."</p><p>"You're the best!"</p><p>Jaime flew into the air, Emori bridal-style in his arms, and she had one arm around his neck. She'd never actually been <em>flying</em> like that with Jaime, and she thought that it was surprisingly nice.</p><p>"Guys, don't get too close," Bart said, voice buzzing into her comm that she almost never took off. "Vertigo's power will have you feeling the mode."</p><p>"Blue," Ed said, "can't your armor protect you or compensate or something?"</p><p>As they neared the helicopter they both groaned, Vertigo's power hitting them full-force. "Apparently not."</p><p>"So--so what do we do?" Traci asked.</p><p>"We follow Beast Boy and keep that whirly-bird in sight, and wait for our moment. We will get Perdita back and safe," Static said. Emori didn't like that plan, but it was the best they had.</p><p>"Does Scarab have any ideas?" Emori asked, meeting Jaime's yellowed-eyes.</p><p>"I--" He frowned. "Scarab wants to 'blow the vehicle out of the sky.' His words, not mine."</p><p>"Good idea, except for the fact that it'd probably blow up." She sighed. "This is useless, none of us can beat Vertigo's powers, not when he's in the helicopter with Perdita. And I can't risk blasting it, it'd break the propeller completely."</p><p>Jaime's eyes widened. "<em>Traci.</em>" He touched his comm. "Traci, can you try to do a precision attack from the ground? To hit the fuel line or something?"</p><p>"I-I think so." There was a burst of purple and one of the fuel line tubes came off, gas spurting out. "<em>I did it!</em> Oh my god! It should have to make a controlled landing now."</p><p>"Thanks, Traci." Emori squinted to where the helicopter was going down. "That . . . looks like a maze."</p><p>"Yep." Jaime flew down into the Pueblo, the others following quick behind. Everything looked the same, she couldn't tell a single thing apart.</p><p>"I'll try to find her," Bart said. "I can search faster."</p><p>"Me too," Emori said. "I can walk straight through the walls, maybe there's something hidden."</p><p>She vanished into thin air and walked forward, directly into the wall, but suddenly everything seemed to melt around her, folding in like a tunnel, the wall stretching on and on. It seemed like she'd never get through it. Her breaths started to come out in quick, panicked spurts, eyes wide as she raced forward, trying to find the end of the wall.</p><p>Someone shook her shoulder and she let out a small scream, only to realize it was Traci. "I--sorry, I just . . . something's not right, I can't go through the walls."</p><p>"Me neither," Bart said as he skidded to a stop. "Well, I didn't actually try that, but everything looks the same. I can't find them."</p><p>"The wall, it just seemed to stretch on forever." She frowned. "Does Vertigo have illusion powers?"</p><p>"Not that I know of." Virgil shrugged. "Maybe it's new?"</p><p>"So how do we find Perdita if we can't trust what we see?" Traci asked, dusting dirt off of her hat.</p><p>"Let's see if we can trust what I smell," Gar said, eyebrows pinched together. "Close your eyes and follow the sound of my roars."</p><p>"Oh, that was so fucking cheesy."</p><p>Emori closed her eyes and followed behind Gar, unsure of what he had shifted into, but only knowing it was large and loud. Every time he roared it shook her chest like a drum.</p><p>"Sorry, boys and girls. This is as far as you go."</p><p>Her eyes snapped open--<em>the henchman</em>.</p><p>He batted Gar's bear form to the side like it was nothing, but Emori was angry, her mind flashing back to that night in Markovia, with all the kids--</p><p>The henchman threw her to the side like a rag doll once she reached him, her anger blinding her of how idiotic it was to charge head-on. She hit one of the walls, her breath catching in her throat as she fell to the ground. Ed helped her up and she patted his arm in thanks, every heave of a breath coming out closer to a wheeze.</p><p>Gar charged at the henchman and the two struggled, Gar's massive weight and claws seeming to have no effect. Before anyone could make another move, the henchman flashed an orange color, almost like their form was flickering.</p><p>"<em>Baby!</em>" they cried out, their voice suddenly shifting to something entirely else.</p><p>Emori's eyes nearly bugged out of her head when the henchman shifted into Devastation, a muscular woman she had faced several times before. The woman sprinted away, almost looking <em>worried</em>.</p><p>"She was Devastation," Jaime said, nearly groaning at the fact.</p><p>"Well, that explains a lot! Let's go!"</p><p>Emori chased after Bart, straight through a door, past Devastation and what looked like <em>Psimon</em>--and straight into Perdita.</p><p>"Oh my god, hi, don't ever do that again." They squeezed each other tightly, a laugh bubbling in Perdita's throat. "That was terrifying. And--wait, did you punch Psimon in the face?"</p><p>"And a bit more," Perdita laughed. "But thank you. You and Gar--<em>all </em>of you--you saved my life."</p><p>When Emori pulled away Devastation was jumping clean through the ceiling, Psimon in her arms, and she barely resisted the urge to follow after them. "Do we go?"</p><p>"Wait, this doesn't make any sense." Gar's eyes narrowed. "Psimon and Devastation are both part of Onslaught. They're Queen Bee's enforcers, not Vertigo's."</p><p>Perdita's eyes widened at the truth of the statement. "Since when is Queen Bee interested in Vlatva or me?"</p><p>"And where's the rest of Onslaught?" Virgil agreed.</p><p>Ed's eyes widened and he slapped a hand over his face. "Oh, I'm so stupid! Wendy and a bunch of the other kids at the center were rescued from Onslaught in Bialya!"</p><p>Emori felt her stomach sink. "Oh my god, <em>Regina</em>."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>"OKAY, WHERE'S THE</b></em> gay one?"</p><p>Tye squinted at her in confusion as they snuck around the festival. "Icicle Jr.? I don't know, but he's big and blue, how hard is he to find?"</p><p>"<em>No,</em> not him--the girl, Tuppence or whatever, the strong one. I just saw her when I landed."</p><p>The sound of fighting erupted, and Emori looked desperately over to where she saw flames at the front of the festival. "Shouldn't we go help them? They might--"</p><p>"They're fine. And Asami's with them, it'll be okay." Tye pointed just past a group of unconscious kids. "<em>There</em>. She has--what was that kid's name, Mist, or something?"</p><p>"Andy," she clarified. "And yeah, that's her."</p><p>"One, two,<em> three</em>."</p><p>Tye's golden form grew, and while Tuppence was focused on Emori, smiling at the idea of getting another meta, he moved forward.</p><p>"Hey, blondie, over here!"</p><p>She turned, eyes narrowed as she dropped Mist to fight--and Tye promptly kicked her across the entire festival yard.</p><p>"Oh shit! Did I just kill her?"</p><p>Emori shrugged as he grew down to his normal size. "Probably not, I once hit her across the desert when I was, like, thirteen. She can probably take it."</p><p>She checked on Mist, who was still out cold, only slightly scraped from Tuppence dropping her. "She'll be fine, I think."</p><p>"Then let's go. It's too quiet."</p><p>He was right, and Emori feared for the worst, images of her friends in inhibitor collars already flashing through her mind--but thankfully, when they arrived, it was only the criminals in collars. The image still wasn't pretty, it made her feel sick, but it was better.</p><p>When they got to the others, Emori dropped to her knees beside Regina as she started to stir. "Hey, Regina, can you hear me? Is the gas finally wearing off?"</p><p>"<em>Gas?</em> What happened, how--when did it get dark?"</p><p>"It's . . . a long story. I'll explain later."</p><p>"There's no keeping the press away now," Ed announced. He was right.</p><p>Perdita glanced sympathetically toward Gar. "Maybe you should sneak away."</p><p>Virgil sighed in agreement. "We are supposed to be a covert team, right?"</p><p>Emori huffed. "Back into the box we go, then."</p><p>"No, we're done hiding." Gar gestured behind him, to the criminals unconscious. "This--this was good work. We did something, something that wasn't covert. Some of the people here saw us, we all know that. How is that covert?"</p><p>"Gar," Emori tried, "you can't be suggesting--"</p><p>"Let the press come. We'll deal with them, <em>without </em>lying."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>EMORI WAS A</b></em> bit paranoid to always bring her suit with her places, but it finally helped her. Because now she had something to wear besides worn jeans and a tank top, something that made her look somewhat superhero acceptable.</p><p>If she had left the mask at home, well, that sure would be a shame.</p><p>"It's not about the limelight," Gar said as cameras snapped pictures.</p><p>"I'm more of a lemon-light person, myself."</p><p>"Look," Jaime said, ignoring Bart's cut-in, "we were here, so we helped."</p><p>"The point is we have meta-abilities," Gar agreed. "And we decided to do something with them, something good, to make the world a better place, a safer place, for humans and meta-humans alike. If people just give meta-humans a chance, they'll be amazed not just by what we can do, but by what we <em>choose</em> to do."</p><p>Emori had never been prouder of him.</p><p>When it was clear he was done talking, the first reporter spoke, and she was surprised that--for once--they didn't all speak over each other like a rabid mob. "Miss Wayne, are you a meta-human yourself?"</p><p>"I--yes, I am," she said, taking a deep breath. "I always have been one."</p><p>"And you agree with everything Mr. Logan said?"</p><p>"I do, one hundred percent. Because he's <em>right</em>." She smiled. "Meta-humans just want to be accepted by the world, that's all we want. But we want to do good, for the people that have done right by us for so many years. There's a way to find peace in all of this."</p><p>Then, like they always did, the reporters started to speak over each other, but for once, Emori didn't mind it. She couldn't understand a word they said, but she didn't mind it.</p><p>Because she had some of her favorite people beside her and she felt utterly untouchable.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. We Are All Outsiders</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>"KALDUR, THOUGH THE JUSTICE LEAGUE'S RANKS ARE DIVIDED, YOU STAND CENTER STAGE, DEFENDING A WORLD SEEMINGLY COMMITTED TO STOPPING YOUR GOOD WORKS."</b>
</p><p>Perdita definitely helped write his speech out beforehand.</p><p>"And M'gann, you lead the Team against our adversaries while avoiding the spotlight. Despite all obstacles, you're both making a difference. But something is missing."</p><p>Artemis glanced at her friends. "Okay, I'll bite. What?"</p><p>"A public version of the Team. Young heroes rebelling against the system to fight the good fight in clear view."</p><p>"No," Kaldur objected. "We do not put those kinds of targets on our underage heroes. That is what the Justice League is for."</p><p>"The League can't do what we need, because you're playing on the Light's gameboard. Have you seen the headlines lately?" When Gar gestured his hand behind himself, holographic screens appeared with excerpts from articles. "Lex Luthor's grip on the United Nations. The public fear of meta-humans. Meta-teen trafficking. Bad guys like Granny Goodness and Baron Bedlam are capitalizing on all of it. We've lost the hearts and minds of the people we're trying to protect. Demagogues and fearmongers have caused folks to give up on the heroic ideal, the real reason the Justice League was formed in the first place."</p><p>"Great," Artemis sighed. "Now I'm thoroughly depressed."</p><p>"Don't worry. I've gotcha covered." He smiled. "See, we're gonna break the rules the League can't. We're gonna connect with people in ways that can't be blocked by governments. We're gonna quiet the fears of the public terrified by the meta-gene generation. And we'll do it all by inspiring that generation. Because we <em>are </em>them. Raised alongside them in the fallout of a scary, meta-human world. We can be the heroes that empower them to conquer their fears."</p><p>"That's a great speech, Gar, sincerely," M'gann said. "But how's that any different from what the League's trying to do now?"</p><p>"The League and the Light are fighting spin campaigns, and the Light's winning. That's not what I'm talking about. Look at this." He turned and another holographic image appeared high in the air, a Tweet of the night when they saved Perdita. "Without even trying, these actions have generated something organic, something beyond spin, something that could never emerge from under the thumb of Luthor <em>or </em>Granny. It's something relatable. It's something we can build on by giving the people something<em> they</em> can brand. Something <em>they</em> can own on social media. Something that makes<em> them</em> part of the story. We're going to be highly mobile <em>and</em> accessible. And together we're gonna start a revolution!"</p><p>His eyes widened in realization at what he said. "A-a small one, anyway."</p><p>"You have given us much to consider--"</p><p>"No. We haven't."</p><p>The few of them that were joining the new team walked forward, and Emori felt free went unbearably anxious. Bruce was already furious that she pulled the stunt at Taos, he was going to be <em>livid </em>once he found out what she was doing. He didn't even want her to go back to being a hero in the first place, much less something so public.</p><p>"Get on board or get out of the way."</p><p>"We've all heard the story--"</p><p>"--you guys built this team--"</p><p>"--it's time to take it to the next level."</p><p>"Are you sure you're ready for this kind of spotlight?" Artemis asked.</p><p>"Green skin," Gar said lightly. "Can't hide."</p><p>Jaime shrugged. "The Reach outed me two years ago."</p><p>"Kid Flash it out too, from back in Wally's day," Bart added. "Public doesn't always get that I'm a different guy. Plus, I never really grokked the whole secret I.D. thing anyway, you?"</p><p>"Markovia and the world already know what I have become. Now I want to show them<em> who</em> I have become."</p><p>Cassie smiled. "Hey, everyone else was going, I had to come too."</p><p>"The group needed a little color," Virgil shrugged. At Jaime and Emori's look, he sighed. "Okay, a little <em>more</em> color."</p><p>"I came back to the past to save the world," Emori said. "I didn't want anyone to be controlled anymore. But it looks like I just traded in one overlord for the next--and everyone else was doing it, so I guess I had to, too."</p><p>"And the rest of you?" M'gann asked.</p><p>"Not ready," Violet said. "Not yet."</p><p>"That's just fine." She smiled. "I was afraid I was losing my entire team."</p><p>"And I'm guessing we're too old," Artemis chuckled. "Wow, when did that happen?"</p><p>Kaldur scoffed lightly as he crossed his arms. "So it is decided. The covert team will now consist of Miss Martian, Superboy, Tigress, Halo, Thirteen, Forager and Terra--and Reyna when she is ready." The girl nodded sheepishly. "While Beast Boy will lead Wonder Girl, Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, Static, Target and Geo-Force in this new public squad but <em>still </em>covertly answer to the League through Miss Martian. Agreed?"</p><p>"Agreed," Gar said, smiling widely. "Oh, and there's one more thing I got covered."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>IT HAD BEEN</em></b> hours since they arrived at what Gar was calling "the Hub." It was their team's HQ, paid for entirely off of Gar's salary as Tork. Which was hilarious and rather ironic, since his employer Gretchen Goode was the one making the VR goggles to track meta-humans.</p><p>But it was nice, Emori liked it. She'd tried to pester him into telling her what he was planning, but for once, Gar's lips were sealed so it would be a surprised. And just like he said, it was really, <em>really </em>cool.</p><p>Emori even had her own room. Granted she already had one at Wayne Manor, but it didn't matter, because both of them knew she'd be spending entirely too much time there, especially since Gar was to escape his "guardian" that he would rather never see again. Their rooms even had a conjoining door, which was the coolest thing she had ever seen. Because they could see each other whenever when they were there. A cute video of a dog? She could walk over and show it. Gar as an adorable slightly feral animal? He could come right in.</p><p>"This--this is so crash," Emori. "Oh my god--<em>look!</em>" </p><p>She nearly slipped in her socks, eyes practically glittering with awe as she stared at the thing in front of her. She didn't press her hands to the glass, because that would be rude. "Guys, look! Fish!"</p><p>"Gar said you'd like the fish," Cassie said, smiling from the couch.</p><p>"There's that little eel thing! The one from that fish show!" Emori smiled widely over at Gar. "I love you so much--and look, there's even a snail!"</p><p>Gar gave a thumbs up toward their other teammates. "She'll be set for hours. She loves fish. Or any tiny pet."</p><p>Emori gently pressed a hand to the glass, thankfully not startling any of the fish, and watched in amazement. She didn't know what it was about them that she loved so much, but she did. Ever since she discovered what an orca was, she'd practically passed out from excitement when anything to do with an aquatic animal came up.</p><p>It wasn't her fault. She didn't<em> mean</em> to fall in love with orcas . . . it just kind of happened, and who was she to say no?</p><p>She could practically see it: that big movie room by the pool, lit up with a nature documentary about orcas or whales or <em>something</em>, popcorn with just a bit of salt, and maybe a few other people, but Gar was the only one who actually liked nature documentaries. And maybe--</p><p>"Is that a Reach ship?"</p><p>Emori's stomach turned to ice. She felt bile rise in her throat as she turned around, hoping it was some stupid, awful joke Cassie made--but no, on the holographic screen in front of the couch, there was a video of a Reach ship.</p><p>She stared, her gaze started to unfocus as her eyes glassed over, her throat dry with fear. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't<em> fucking breathe</em>--</p><p>Emori slid down the wall where the tank was, her knees pulled to her chest tightly, her chin resting on her knees, her arms pulling her into the smallest possible shape she could take. It wasn't real--it couldn't be. The Reach were gone, they were dead, <em>they were all dead</em>. They died with Wally, they took him, they took everyone, they were--</p><p>Virgil shook her arm. "C'mon, girl. We're goin'. Let's kick some Reach ass."</p><p>"I'd rather die." She shook her head. "No, I'll probably die. For real this time."</p><p>He blinked. "Okay, I'm not gonna ask what that meant. But if you don't go, you're staying here."</p><p>She glanced at the Zeta Beam, where the team had already disappeared through. "They all went?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"Dammit."</p><p>"C'mon, I got my disk."</p><p>"Of course you do."</p><p>It was in Brooklyn. Emori had been there, once, when Bruce had a meeting, but it wasn't the part she had been to. Virgil seemed to know where he was going, though. She held onto his torso with one arm, clutching his jacket as they glided over the asphalt, electricity crackling beneath them.</p><p>As soon as they found the others a Reach ship started to tail them, making Emori's heart hammer in her chest. "I'm gonna lead it away."</p><p>"I--we're going like forty miles an hour!"</p><p>"I'll tuck 'n roll." She poised herself to jump. "Make sure it follows me, okay?"</p><p>"I don't think--"</p><p>She threw herself off the disk, body hitting the ground in a harsh roll, a scrape on her cheek opening back up. She instinctively protected her nose, desperate not to reopen that would that had only just healed. </p><p>She got to her feet, firing several blasts at the ship. "<em>Hey asshole!</em> Over here!"</p><p>It turned toward her, forgetting Virgil, and she nearly vomited on the spot. Instead, she raised a slightly-trembling middle finger, and fired an ungodly amount of power toward the ship. Somehow she managed to control the flow--something she didn't think possible--and she sent it skidding across the road, digging up the cement in its wake.</p><p>Jaime landed on top of it, pressing a hand to it. The lights stopped glowing, turning a hollow black color, and she sprinted her way over. With a bit of difficulty she managed to climb on top of the ship, nearly slipped off the roof of it in the process.</p><p>"Crack this bad boy open."</p><p>"I--" Gar soared overhead as a falcon, a ship trailing behind him. "Shit. Don't touch anything until I get back." He gave her a firm look when she didn't respond. "<em>Seriously</em>. We don't know who's in there, it could be--"</p><p>"I know," she said. "I know. I won't do anything until you get back."</p><p>He flew off into the air and she stared down at the ship, weighing the options. She knew he was right. But on the other hand, she had survived on the War World against Reach for four days (with the held of Roy), and then went one-on-one with Black Beetle for nearly a minute. She could handle whatever was in that ship. Probably.</p><p>All she had to do was open the hatch.</p><p>Open the hatch.</p><p>"Just open the hatch, Emori," she whispered. "You're badass, you kicked their conqueror butt--you can totally face one puny warrior. It's not like they're gonna--"</p><p>Jaime was back down on the ship, nearly stumbling from how fast he came down. "You were about to open it, weren't you?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>He pulled open the hatch--and pulled out a clearly not Reach creature. They didn't have the right build, nearly every Reach was slim, bony, and nearly malnourished looking. Whatever was in the hatch wasn't Reach. At least not the ones that Emori had seen.</p><p>"I knew something wasn't right," Jaime huffed. "This is no Reach invasion."</p><p>He pulled off the helmet and a woman's face was revealed, pale with long red hair.</p><p>"I am gobsmacked," a random girl--who might have been their the entire time--said.</p><p>"She's human," the Sheriff concluded.</p><p>"Her name's Whisper A'Daire," Jaime explained. "And she works for Intergang."</p><p>"They all do," Gar said, his eyes glowing green from the tech contacts. Emori wished she could have those.</p><p>"Intergang?" the Sheriff asked.</p><p>"Criminal organization that deals in alien weaponry."</p><p>"And we would've scored big time if you<em> heroes</em> hadn't gotten in our way."</p><p>Emori took great pleasure in watching Jaime roughly walk the woman forward. Emori wasn't one for the prison system, but damn did she hope Whisper A'Daire rotted in there.</p><p>"Oh my God--you're Emori Wayne!" a girl gasped. "I'm Gaby Gabrielli, I follow you on everything. Are you a hero now?"</p><p>She blinked, eyes wide. "Um . . . sure? I guess you could call it that." She watched as Jaime held Whisper's arms behind her. "'Hero' is a strong word, but--"</p><p>"Sheriff, arrest these costumed delinquents!"</p><p>Oh, <em>shit</em>.</p><p>An older white man came running toward them in a large khaki trench coat. He looked ridiculous. "The Justice League did not come through the proper channels to be in Brooklyn."</p><p>"Excuse me," Kaldur calmly said. "But these young heroes are not members of the League."</p><p>"Oh, so they're vigilantes!"</p><p>"They just saved the whole town!" Gaby protested.</p><p>"Saved it? Look what they've done to our library!"</p><p>"Well, a few hundred in property damage is better than dead people." The man glared at her. "What? It's true."</p><p>"Mr. Mayor," the Sheriff interjected, "you're making a mistake."</p><p>"Sheriff, if you value your badge, you'll arrest these criminals."</p><p>Gar held out his hands calmly as the Sheriff handcuffed him.</p><p>"This is outrageous!" Brion yelled, his accent thick with anger.</p><p>"Stand down, Geo-Force. If we have to be arrested to do good, so be it."</p><p>Emori would very much rather not be arrested.</p><p>When everyone was handcuffed and it was her turn, she sharply shook her head. "Sorry, but no."</p><p>"<em>No?</em>" the Mayor scoffed. "Young lady, if you value your freedom, you will--"</p><p>"I'll stand right here--but I'm not wearing handcuffs." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't wear handcuffs."</p><p>"What do you mean you--"</p><p>"I will literally vomit on the sidewalk from fear," she stated. "So, pick your choice."</p><p>The handcuffs did not go on.</p><p>"No way," Jaime whispered.</p><p>"Yes way!" Bart huffed. "I mean, look at us! We're in shackles!"</p><p>"Quick, everyone behind the Warbug!"</p><p>Emori stood rooted to the ground as a mothership loomed above in the sky. They were coming to take her away, they were going to take her and sell her or transfer her or--</p><p>She struggled against someone's strong grip until she realized it was Cassie dragging her behind the Warbug. "Emori, are you okay? Are you hurt?"</p><p>"No, I just--"</p><p>Cassie's eyes widened in realization. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot--you just never talk about it and--"</p><p>"It's fine."</p><p>The mothership fired a blast, an explosion bursting off the street behind them. Heat flew past her face, nearly scorching her. </p><p>"Scarab sensed the ship lock on our position," Jaime said. "But it won't target Reach tech 'cause it's on autopilot, summoned by a distress signal on the Warbugs."</p><p>"Hey, we didn't activate any signals!" Whisper said. "Didn't even know those things had 'em. Look, if I were you, I'd call the Justice League."</p><p>"We don't need meta-vigilantes. We have the United States Air Force! Which I called in, by the way!"</p><p>Emori's lips formed a thin line. "Then congrats, Mayor."</p><p>Just as she was dreading, the mothership shot the planes out of the sky into nothing. The pilots were dead.</p><p>"Oh my god," Emori whsipered. "That's it, <em>the League</em>."</p><p>Bart's eyes widened. "You're right!"</p><p>Brion looked between them, almost offended. "<em>Excuse me?</em> You said this was a without League mission!"</p><p>Emori shushed him so the girl filming couldn't hear at the other Warbug. "Look, it's a long story that maybe I'll explain to you later, but this'll work. The League of Resistance when it was on its last few legs went against some Warbugs and a mothership, they managed to take down the mothership before half of them were killed."</p><p>"...League of Resistance?" Brion whispered, not following at all.</p><p>"Yeah, it's a long story. And we don't have the heroes they did, so it won't work exactly the same, but I remember the basics from when R.A. told me." She took a deep breath. "Jaime can go inside with a few of you, shut it down, while some of us distract the ship into attacking so they have time and the attacks aren't on the town. It won't work as well without the hacked Warbugs, but it'll work well enough."</p><p>"Is it really a good idea?" Bart said. "It totally is, it's our only shot, but remember what happened to that one guy?"</p><p>"Yeah, Gooster or something. But it's fine, we won't get exploded."</p><p>Virgil blinked. "Woah, woah, woah, don't just go past that! We can <em>explode?</em>"</p><p>"I mean . . . he was kinda sacrificing himself so, yeah. But no sacrificing, sacrificing is a big no-no, alright?"</p><p>He gave a thumbs up. "Don't gotta worry about me."</p><p>Emori nodded firmly. "So, I'll distract the ship by firing at it--"</p><p>"No way." Jaime shook his head. "You're the only other person besides me that can effect Reach tech. If something goes wrong in there, you'll have to take it down."</p><p>"I--last time I messed around with Reach tech, I nearly blew up the labor camp. You don't want me messing with that."</p><p>"You got it, I know you can do it." He looked at the team. "Wonder Girl, Geo-Force, Kid--you distract the ship while the rest of us go in. Make sure it doesn't fire on the town."</p><p>Bart gave an overly-enthusiastic thumbs up. "Right on, Buddy Blue."</p><p>When they stood, Cassie poised to break out of her handcuffs, the mayor let out an indignant yell that sounded almost like 'no.' </p><p>"I'm sorry, Mayor, but we have to," Emori said. "Unless you want more people to die, it's the only way. Arrest us later, or something, we're not exactly going anywhere."</p><p>She stared in dismay as the three began distracting the ship. "Guys, I can't fly."</p><p>"Gotcha covered."</p><p>Jaime hovered in the air, holding out two hands.</p><p>"You're not gonna drop me, are you?"</p><p>"...Probably not."</p><p>She rolled her eyes and allowed him to grab her wrists, the two taking off into the air, Gar and Virgil alongside them.</p><p>When they started to near the ship Jaime's grip began to loosen. Emori's body twisted in the air out of panic, immediately grabbing onto his wrists tightly. "<em>Jaime!</em>"</p><p>His head snapped down toward her, eyes wide with panic, and he gripped her wrists tight. "Holy shit, Rory, I'm so sorry--"</p><p>"It's fine--just, just don't drop me, okay?"</p><p>"Wouldn't dream of it."</p><p>They landed on top of the ship, Jaime setting her down gently, and she rubbed at her arms from the cold. "Oh, this is so moded. I hate this." She looked over to Jaime, who seemed much less confident than usual. "What's up? Is it the ship?"</p><p>"It's just--it's nothing. I shouldn't be freaked out. I mean you're the one--you--"</p><p>"Jaime, you don't need to feel guilty," she said. "At all. Not about feeling this way or anything. What they did to you, it was awful, you didn't deserve to be put on mode like that. You have a right to feel upset and not be here. My--my 'whatever' doesn't mean yours didn't happen."</p><p>"But they didn't even--all they did was put me on mode, that's nothing compared to what they did to you."</p><p>Gar and Virgil were walking ahead, completely oblivious to the conversation, and Emori took the time to stop Jaime and turn her toward him. She gripped his hand, tight enough to feel the metal through her gloves. "There isn't a scale for--for trauma. It doesn't matter. You're allowed to be hurt by this, okay?" She let out a light laugh. "Be hurt by this or I'll punch you."</p><p>He smiled, his laugh drowned out by the wind. "What the hell are we doing? We're having a heart to heart on a--on a ship hundreds of feet in the air. Who does that?"</p><p>"I don't know, but I think it worked." She kissed him on the cheek, chapped lips on metal armor. "Tell scarab he's doing a fantastic job, he hasn't plasma cannon'd one person today."</p><p>Jaime snorted and jogged behind her to catch up with the others. He managed to open the hatch on top and they all dropped in, Gar perching on Emori's shoulders as she stood while Jaime went to the dashboard.</p><p>"Should we check the decks?" Gar asked, the collar around his neck vibrating from his voice. God, she still wasn't used to that.</p><p>"The Reach--or at least the ones I knew--were organized, and they were super into tech." She watched as Jaime typed on the keyboard. "They wouldn't just leave this here unsupervised. I think all the Reach are dead this time."</p><p>In the air above them holographic screens appeared, showing more jets coming their way, and the ship was no longer focused on their friends below. "Shit," she whispered. "Can we do anything?"</p><p>"I can cut power to the ship's weapons," Jaime answered. "Bad news is I can only do it by deactivating the ship's engines at the same time."</p><p>"So it crashes down and flattens the whole town," Virgil huffed. "Called it."</p><p>"Can't we . . . land in someone's backyard or something?" Emori shook her head. "What am I talking about, this is Brookyln, no one has big backyards here!"</p><p>"Blue, give enough power to get us past the city," Gar ordered. "And then cut the engines."</p><p>Virgil's eyes went wide. "Wait, we're really crashing this thing?"</p><p>The ship gave a sudden thrust forward and they all had their answer. They were crashing it while they were still inside. It wasn't the best idea, but it wasn't the worst one Emori had ever been apart of.</p><p>Emori flicked Gar's wing.</p><p>"<em>Ow!</em>"</p><p>"Your talons are digging into my shoulder!"</p><p>"Oh, right, sorry." It was a bit gentler, but not much.</p><p>Emori grabbed onto a nearby pole to steady herself as the ship began to nosedive toward a frozen lake. Her feet began to slip slightly from the angle and she wrapped one leg around the pole, clinging to it, Gar's talons still digging into her shoulder.</p><p>Her eyes were shut tight when they crashed into the lake, the entire ship shaking around her as she clung to the pole like a lifeline. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes, half-expecting to see nothing.</p><p>"Oh thank god, I was really hoping they didn't have the automatic detonation switches in by 2016."</p><p>Gar shifted back into his human form, eyes wide. "The <em>what?</em>"</p><p>"Well, they used to have where if the ship crashed in any way, it automatically exploded because it was probably under Resistance control." She smiled. "But it didn't blow up!"</p><p>Virgil rubbed his arms. "Let's just get outta here. This place is giving me the creeps."</p><p>Jaime helped Emori through the hatch that was dozens of feet in the air, lifting her by the arms onto the roof of the ship. "God, it's cold," she whispered, pulling her suit's jacket tighter. "I <em>hate</em> winter."</p><p>Suddenly something crashed into them at an alarming speed, making them stumble back from the force of it. Emori nearly kneed them in the groin until she saw the familiar yellow and red and the unmistakable warmth.</p><p>"There's my lil' furnace."</p><p>"Hi." He gave them both a pat on the shoulder, looking like he wasn't quite ready to let go of them yet. "Do you guys wanna watch a movie tonight?"</p><p>Emori laughed so suddenly that a jolt of warmth spread through her body. "Yeah, sure. What kind?"</p><p>Bart smiled mischievously. "You know which once."</p><p>She sighed. "Good Dinosaur it is."</p><p>Jaime groaned. "Aw, c'mon! That one's so depressing!"</p><p>Cassie touched down onto the ship, lasso curled in her hand. "C'mon, lovebirds. We still have to deal with the Mayor."</p><p>They made their way down the ship, the others managing fine aside from Emori, who didn't have superspeed or flight of any kind. By the time they made it to the Mayor Emori swore her bones themselves were chattering from the cold.</p><p>Gar held out his wrists to the Sheriff who only shook his head. "That won't be necessary."</p><p>The Mayor's face went red with anger. "What? Why!"</p><p>He breathed deeply, like it wasn't his first time dealing with the Mayor on this issue. "Brooklyn Statue Sixteen-Sixteen. The Good Samaritan Law. it states that "minor and incidental harm done in the service of the greater good is not a crime." These kids--<em>and </em>Aquaman--did way more good here than harm today. In the eyes of the law, they're free to go."</p><p>The three girls cheered. Emori wasn't sure who they were, but one said there name was Gaby.</p><p>"No concept of how much this thin's gonna cost to get out of my lake!" the Mayor yelled as he walked away. "No concept at all!"</p><p>Gaby walked toward them, her phone out, as well as the two other girls'. "So if you're not the 'Young Justice League' then who are you?"</p><p>"We're something new here to help people," Gar answered. "We don't answer to bureaucrats and bad guys trying to twist what we do into crimes against the system. Those types can get on board or get out of the way."</p><p>Gaby nearly gushed at that. "Wow, sounds like a revolution."</p><p>"Maybe. We're definitely not playing by the insiders' rules. We can't. We are <em>all </em>Outsiders."</p><p>"Oh, this is gonna be so good!" Gaby cheered. "My followers are gonna love this!"</p><p>The other girls were typing away on their phones, no doubt posting the videos as well. Emori hoped she didn't look awful in them.</p><p>She hit Jaime on the arm. "Hey, Bruce is at some giant meeting in Hong Kong--you guys wanna come over?"</p><p>He hesitated. "Is Cass gonna be there?"</p><p>"C'mon, if you get to know her it'll be fine!"</p><p>"She tried to <em>stab</em> me, Emori. Stab!"</p><p>"Okay? And so did I."</p><p>He sighed. "Fine, but only if you take Danny out of the cage."</p><p>"Deal!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Hide n Seek</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>BRUCE LET EMORI INVITE WHOEVER SHE WANTED TO THE BANQUETS.</b> In the beginning she didn't have any friends aside from Bart, and he did his best to encourage her growth, so when she asked if a friend could come, he said yes.</p><p>Unfortunately Emori now had several friends and Bruce still couldn't say no. So there was his son, his other son, his other almost-adopted children, his daughter, and his daughter's eight friends. It would have been nine, if she could sweet talk him into it, but Perdita had a "super secret" meeting with another country's leader and Asami was busy at the youth center.</p><p>Plus, it was Emori's way of trying to make sure she didn't fall back into a slump. She already was, and she was determined not to. She didn't like banquets much, but with all of her friends there, it was bound to help.</p><p>And Dick was going to be there, so she wasn't looking forward to that. She hadn't really spoken to him, she'd done her best to avoid him. Sure, it was "fixed," but it never would be the same. If Emori avoided him, it was like nothing changed.</p><p>"Brion, you planning on punching someone?"</p><p>He blinked. "Excuse me?" She gestured to his hand with a large ring and he smiled sheepishly. "Oh, that. It is a . . . family ring. I thought it would fit the occasion, no?"</p><p>"No, it does--I just don't see people wear rings often. And I only wear them to punch people." She looked at his chest. "Your tie's crooked, by the way."</p><p>He cursed under his breath, hastily fixing it in the mirror. "I'm a prince, and yet your father's dress code is more outrageous than mine."</p><p>"He's not--" She shook her head. "He likes things to look nice. He's a suit 'n tie guy even for breakfast on a Sunday, most of the time."</p><p>"I met him once, when I was young. When Grayson was young. Five years ago, I think? He came to Markovia, to meet about bringing his products into the country. Nice man."</p><p>"He is."</p><p>Brion fixed his tie with the perfection of a royal and turned to her. "So . . . about the mission--"</p><p>"You wanna know what I was talking about?"</p><p>His pale skin flushed a light pink. "Well, yes."</p><p>"You remember the Reach? How they invaded Earth, tried to take over, and the League stopped them?"</p><p>"Yes, one of their ships crashed in Markovia."</p><p>"Well . . . originally, they didn't lose."</p><p>Brion frowned. "I do not follow."</p><p>"Time travel," she stated. "I'm from the future--so is Bart. In our world, the Reach won. By the time the League figured out what they were really up to, it was too late."</p><p>"Oh." She could tell that despite how outlandish it was, he believed her. Her tone was too serious to be a lie.</p><p>"So, yeah. The human race was--it wasn't good. So, we came back to stop it. And we did. That's why we knew what to do. Because we're not from this time, we're from the future."</p><p>"I . . . I suppose that's better than what I thought."</p><p>Emori choked on a laugh. "What? Did you think I was alien or something?"</p><p>"...Perhaps." He let out a light laugh. "To be fair, you did not know many customs, and sometimes you look at everything like it's for the first time. It's . . . not what I expected."</p><p>"Ha, yeah. It's a bit complicated." She smiled. "Now c'mon, that was exhausting. Let's go annoy some rich people."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>"OH MY GOD, </b></em>Roy!"</p><p>Emori crashed into him, hugging him tightly, nearly knocking him over. He only rolled his eyes and patted her on the back. "Hey, dumbass."</p><p>She smiled widely. She hadn't seen him in-person in months, he was busy with work as Arsenal and college, and she was busy with everything else. He wasn't quite like a friend to her, he was something else. He was . . . <em>something</em>. They had a connection. They had survived together for four days, against all odds, and fully trusted each other then. That was something that wouldn't break with time.</p><p>"Guys," she said as she pulled away. "This is Roy Harper. He's stupid, and I love him very much, so be nice."</p><p>Roy snorted and rolled his eyes, and she wondered if one day they'd get stuck back there.</p><p>"Oliver Queen's ward, yes?" Brion asked.</p><p>"Yeah, that's me."</p><p>Tye and Virgil each gave him a fist bump on his good hand. His prosthetic was under his sleeve, a fake hand pulled over it. He rarely used that, he didn't have a need to, except for occasions like those. Still, it looked bulky under the sleeve. It wasn't a regular prosthetic arm--it had the qualities to be a rocket launcher.</p><p>"...We have to go in, don't we?"</p><p>Emori patted him sarcastically on the shoulder. "Yes, Roy, we do. It's a <em>Christmas banquet,</em> it's kinda mandatory."</p><p>He groaned. "Fine. I hate these stupid things, Oliver throws enough of them."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah. Be grumpy with a glass of champagne, loser."</p><p>They walked in through the side door, from the garden into the banquet hall, the others following behind them as they moved through the groups of people. There were many people there, some of Bruce's employees, business partners, friends of friends, and of course, as he always was: Clark Kent. It was a bit funny, because it was always theorized how Bruce Wayne knew the lower-list reporter, but no one quite figured it out.</p><p>And there was, of course, Selina Kyle. Emori didn't know much about her, but she'd gotten the run-down from Tim. Bruce's kinda-sorta "thing," that was complicated and confusing and never stayed for too long. They didn't quite work, but they were always trailing after each other, and Selina was always stealing stuff from Bruce, and he always let her with a little slap on the wrist. It was complicated, but Emori didn't ask any questions, and didn't pay much attention whenever she saw the women pocket something with her sticky fingers.</p><p>"Uh, people are staring," Virgil whispered.</p><p>"Well, yeah. The host's adopted daughter just walked in with her superhero friends, Oliver's Queen's kid, and Tye. Tye isn't as suspicious, but still."</p><p>"And Gar's green," he pointed out.</p><p>"Yeah, that too, but I felt like it was mean to say."</p><p>Bart poked her on the arm. "Hey, Rory, they have those fancy lil' sandwiches. The ones with the toothpicks."</p><p>She perked up. "Did they put out the little roasted marshmallows, too?"</p><p>"Oh yeah, there's dozens."</p><p>Emori smiled at everyone as she turned toward her friends, all of them completely unaware of their conversation. "Hi, I have important Wayne business to attend to. And, uh, I'm bringing Bart with me. Go mingle, or something."</p><p>They hurried away, disappearing into the crowd until they appeared by the food table. Bart grabbed several tiny sandwiches and Emori got a small plate of the marshmallows. Bruce put them out just for her, after he found out that she had a weird obsession with the food. Since she didn't like most of the fancy food he put out, he thought it was a compromise, even if it looked ridiculous on the food table.</p><p>Bart's were gone in less than two minutes, but Emori was a bit slower with hers, since her body didn't demand hundreds of calories an hour like his did. She ate carefully, biting with her teeth, making sure not to mess up her lipstick. She'd forgotten it in the car, and she wasn't going back for it to fix hers.</p><p>"Hey, Em?"</p><p>She hummed a response as she took an achingly slow bite of marshmallow.</p><p>"You look--you look really nice."</p><p>Her cheeks flushed red. "Thanks. And you look really nice, too. Never thought I'd see you in a suit."</p><p>"Me? You're the one in the expensive dress--it's like it was made of silk or something."</p><p>She rolled her eyes as she threw her plate into the trash. "Ha ha. And it was the only one that could get dry-cleaned so quickly--the other one was the red slit one, and Tim said that was 'not Christmas appropriate.'"</p><p>"I, for one, think it would have been very appropriate."</p><p>Emori snorted and shoved his shoulder. "Keep it in your pants, Allen."</p><p>"Whatcha gonna do, Todd? You're, like, this tall."</p><p>At his exaggerated motion of her height, her nose scrunched and she got on the tips of her toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Brave words for someone within cheek-kissing distance."</p><p>His face was as red as his suit. "I--uh--"</p><p>Emori looked around, and just like she thought, no one was looking in the corner where they were. "C'mon, Kid. This is your first big banquet--I'm gonna make sure you have the time of your life."</p><p>He followed behind her as she dragged him forward by his hand, making no move to pull himself free. "You sound suspicious, which, by the way, is not--"</p><p>Bruce turned as they walked by and called her over, and Bart's eyes went wide, like he'd rather not, but Emori brought him over anyway.</p><p>"Bart," Bruce greeted, "this is Clark Kent, a friend of mine."</p><p>Clark shook Bart's hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Bart."</p><p>The speedster nodded. "You look really familiar. Are you an actor or something?"</p><p>Emori bit her lip to keep from laughing.</p><p>"I'm a journalist," Clark explained, clearly having fun with it. "From Metropolis."</p><p>"Huh. Where Superman is, right?"</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>Bruce sucked in a breath. "Emori, it might be wise to go . . . check on your friends. Our friend Mrs. Donwell found them."</p><p>Her eyes went wide. "That's a good idea. Bart, let's go before Brion turns this place into a volcano--or worse, Tye kicks her."</p><p>Emori, unfortunately, knew Mrs. Donwell well. She was a woman in her sixties, thin strawberry blonde hair tied back into a bun, looking just as filthy rich as she was. The worst part, though, was that she was exceptionally racist and classist. And she let "subtle" comments out, ones that Bruce had clamped a shoulder down on Emori's shoulder the first time for, and it was a given that either Brion or Tye would blow first. Probably Tye.</p><p>They had to play nice, she knew that, but if she could kick the old woman, she definitely would. When she had met Emori the first time, she'd promptly said "oh, you looked white in the pictures!" She hadn't known how to respond, because <em>what the fuck</em>, but luckily Bruce answered for her, and Dick gave her a conversation about how to deal with those situations, based on his personal experience.</p><p>When she got there, Tye was nodding along, as if he cared, but Emori could see from how his eyes were narrowed that if Mrs. Donwell said one more word, he might knock the champagne glass out of her hand.</p><p>"Mrs. Donwell!" Emori greeted cheerfully. "Oh, your earrings are lovely--are those diamonds?"</p><p>"Oh yes they are, dear, the finest money can buy. From my late husband's mine?"</p><p>Yes, the one that had several lawsuits because they used child labor in Africa and didn't pay their workers a fair amount. Emori knew that one.</p><p>"Yes ma'am, I know that one. They look lovely, you'll have to show me them sometime." She smiled her million-watt smile that Gar said looked like a wolf's. "But we have to go talk about some . . . work-related business, if you can excuse us."</p><p>"Oh! Of course, don't let me keep you, I was just--"</p><p>They were gone before she could finish her sentence, Emori ushering them away and out the door they came in, into the courtyard. She shivered in the December air.</p><p>"I'm sorry, guys," she said. "I didn't know she'd be here--Bruce has to invite her, she was a business partner of his father's, but she's usually at her vacation house around Christmas. I guess she decided she had to come anyway."</p><p>"She asked if I made up my last name," Tye said, blinking. "And when I said that no, I didn't, because I was Apache so it's 'wasn't like her last name,' she looked like I spit in her drink. Like, sorry, hope you die soon."</p><p>Emori laughed abruptly and quickly had to calm herself down. "I know, I know, she's the worst. She keeps asking me to speak Phillipines--and that isn't even a damn thing. But if you just smile and nod she'll leave."</p><p>Roy smiled mischievously. "What if I told her that her 'favorite Queen boy' was Navajo. Do you think she'd have a heart attack on the spot?"</p><p>Emori held back a laugh. "Alright guys, maybe this banquet was an awful idea. Like, catastrophically bad idea."</p><p>Virgil shrugged. "Someone gave me a glass of champagne, didn't even check my I.D. But it tasted awful."</p><p>"Yeah," Cassie said, grimacing. "It tasted like death."</p><p>Emori went to say something and then she stopped short. "Wait, did you guys . . . pass the drink around?"</p><p>Brion shook his head. "Of course not, that is absurd!"</p><p>They definitely did.</p><p>"Okay, well, we can go back to the hotel, or--"</p><p>"Or?" Cassie echoed hopefully.</p><p>"Or we can do a Wayne kid delicacy--play hide 'n seek in that bigass mansion."</p><p>"Wait, seriously?" Cassie whispered excitedly. "Are we allowed to do that? Isn't that place, like, super expensive?"</p><p>"Oh, definitely, but Bruce lets us do it anyway, it's been the one rule since Dick was a kid." She smiled. "It's, like, the coolest thing ever."</p><p>Roy cracked his knuckles. "I'm gonna whoop your asses."</p><p>"Mhm, try me."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>THEY MANAGED TO</em></b> get Cass, Steph, and Tim involved, too. Cass had left the banquet shortly after them, then the other two, and somehow they all agreed to play.</p><p>So that was how Emori ended up on a rafter, in a dress, with Bart and Jaime on each side of her, the three of them huddled together. She had said that no, it was <em>her </em>spot, they wouldn't be sitting with her . . . and then they were, and they threatened to push her off if she tried to do it to them.</p><p>"The dark-haired one just flipped over the banister!" Brion yelled into the Outsider comm's, clearly out of breath. "Your family is--mother of god--<em>insane!</em>"</p><p>Emori covered her laugh with her hand. "That's Cass," she whispered into the comm, pressing it. "Don't bother, you'll never catch her."</p><p>"I have "--a gasp of breath--"found that out."</p><p>Emori pressed her comm off so she could only hear the others and let her legs dangle. Brion was by the foyer, she'd move them if he got near the dining room.</p><p>"Hey, guys?" Jaime said.</p><p>They both hummed in response.</p><p>"I--what time is it?"</p><p>That wasn't what he was going to say, but it was okay.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Past, Present, Future</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>EMORI WOKE UP SCREAMING, FIGHTING AGAINST THE SHEETS LIKE THEY WERE HANDS. </b>She was barely aware of herself yelling, a scream caught tightly in her throat as she thrashed, kicking the sheets off of her until her back rammed into the head board. Once she had time to breathe and saw the streetlights out the window, she realized what was happening.</p><p>She was in the past. She was in the Tower, with her friends. Her father wasn't dying, he was alive somewhere on Infinity Island--</p><p>And that's when the unshed tears in her eyes began to fall. The nightmares hadn't been as frequent, her medicine and her previous therapy sessions had helped, but it didn't anymore. Not since "it" with Dick. The nightmares came back, more frequent, and seeing R.A. at the Allens' house didn't help. </p><p>Because no matter how hard she tried to hide it or fit in, Emori wasn't from the past. Maybe she belonged there, or maybe she didn't, she didn't know--but what she knew was that normal things still scared her. Like cars driving past, or planes overhead, or something that tasted too strong or too many smells at once or--</p><p>She dug the palms of her hands into her eyes, trying to push everything out of her brain. Because <em>dammit</em>, she had saved the world. Technically. Not really, she didn't do anything, and she endangered a lot of people, and she probably got Wally killed--</p><p>"Alrighty," she exhaled, fuzzy socks meeting cold hardwood. "That's enough before you tie a damn blanket to the ceiling."</p><p>She opened the door to her room with a few punches in the key pad. Gar had a thing about doors ever since that day at the Cave when they got taken. She didn't ask much, but what he'd said on his own was enough. He'd opened the door, and was knocked out as soon as it opened. Now he had measures to make sure you knew who you were opening the door to, giving you enough time to change your mind.</p><p>In hind sight, a keypad wouldn't do anything to stop someone that managed to make it into the Tower, but she didn't want to tell him that. It seemed to make him feel better. She had her things like that, too, that made her feel better even though they didn't quite do anything. When she first got to the Garricks, she slept with shoes on, even though they assured her she could take them off. Because she thought that if she did, someone might take them, or she might have to run, and she'd cut her feet open on the jagged metal of the fields that no longer existed.</p><p>Her face scrunched at the thought, and she turned sharply down the stair case. She did her best to be quiet, creeping down the stairs with the stealth of a Todd <em>and </em>a Bat, but also the stealth of someone who had nearly had a panic attack and was half-awake.</p><p>She rubbed at her eyes tiredly, immediately sobering up once she saw who was in the kitchen. Bart, half-illuminated by the light of the refrigerator.</p><p>He stilled once he saw her, somehow knowing she was there even after she disappeared out of habit, hair skewed like he'd just ran his hand through it, one slender hand holding the neck of the orange juice bottle, those excruciatingly green eyes that only the Wests had--</p><p>Emori wanted to kiss him, and she was struck by the honesty of it. When she imagined it in her head, it was slightly muddled, and Bart began to have black hair instead of auburn, and tan skin instead of his pale, freckled kind, and that's when she decided to stop thinking about what it would feel like.</p><p>Thankfully Bart spoke first, because she kept failing to form words. "C'mon, you know you can't trick me anymore--you haven't been able to do that since we were, like, nine."</p><p>"Well, when we were nine there wasn't any disappearing happening," Emori joked, laughing at her own joke. At Bart's lack of laughter, she appeared. "Okay, not that funny, I know. It sounded better in my head, but out loud, the whole 'child wearing a inhibitor collar' joke didn't go right."</p><p>"Yeah, I think that joke might be better any other time."</p><p>She leaned against the wall. "Nightmare?"</p><p>"What? No, of course not--"</p><p>Emori cocked her head. "Remember? We got that best friend telepathy--I know you too well, and you're lying through your teeth. Plus, you always drink orange juice when you're sad."</p><p>His lips formed a thin line and he put the bottle back, shutting the fridge afterward. The only light left was the microwave, which barely lit up anything. "I take back the telepathy, it's stupid, and I hate it. And if we <em>did </em>actually have telepathy, I'd be a lot funnier."</p><p>"Maybe. Probably." She crossed her arms, which made a small sound in the dark. The only thing that was completely visible of her was the strong Todd arch of her nose. "Come on, sparks, talk to me."</p><p>"You haven't called me that since . . . since we started building the time machine." She could practically hear him blinking. "It's just--do you ever think about it?"</p><p>"About what?"</p><p>"Home. Or whatever it was. The labor camps, the workers, all of it." He sighed, a deep, chest-shaking sigh that few people ever got to hear. "Do you--do you ever miss it?"</p><p>Her eyes went wide, and then she was right in front of him, hugging him tightly. "I do. A lot. It sucked, but it was home. It was all we ever knew."</p><p>"But it was awful. We're not supposed to miss something like that, somewhere that we--where we were--"</p><p>"I know," she said, rubbing his shoulder blade like she did when they were kids. "And everyone thinks it's okay--sometimes I think it is, too--and then I remember it's only been two years. Two years isn't long enough to forget . . . <em>that</em>."</p><p>"We can't even say it, can we?"</p><p>"Not without crying, and I definitely don't wanna cry right now." She took a deep breath. "It sucked, that's all I can say. But--that was our home, that's where our family was. But we're . . . we're making a new one, right?"</p><p>"Yeah. We are, aren't we?"</p><p>"Just so you know, you're my family," she said, the words slightly muffled by his chest. "I know you already know that, but no matter what we do--what<em> I</em> do--that's not changing."</p><p>He hugged her a bit tighter. "I know."</p><p>There was just something between them, something different than she had with anyone else. They were bonded together through death and blood and love, it felt like nothing could rip them apart, not even the force of decades crashing down on them. Somehow, she always found her way back to Bart.</p><p>Everything in her was screaming to kiss him kiss him kiss HIM. But, with the little bit of rationality she had, she pulled out of his embrace and smiled in the dark. "Okay. Well, goodnight. I can't even remember what I came here for, but, yeah. Night."</p><p>"Wait," Bart said as she reached the doorway. "Can we, uh . . . lay together?" He laughed under his breath. "I know, totally not crash, super weird, cause we're--we're, like, fifteen now, but I don't know. I just--"</p><p>"Yeah." She waited for him to catch up with her. "And I know what you mean. We're not kids anymore, but it's nice. It's--it's like when we were. It's easier to fall asleep with each other, just like we did when it was just us."</p><p>She could practically hear Bart's shit-eating grin in the dark. And--that was it. In that moment, it was cemented into history, irreversible, even by the hands of fate.</p><p>Emori Todd-Wayne would do anything for Bart Allen, past, present, or future.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Lecture of the Elders</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>THINGS HAD SPED UP SIGNIFICANTLY. </b>For one, Ed had joined the Outsiders. Emori had talked with Ed about it (with the help of Tye), and they all agreed that it'd give the kids at Taos--and all meta-teens--hope to see a hero like them. Emori might have been more personable than the others, since she wasn't a prince or technically a legacy, but in the eyes of the public, she was Bruce Wayne's adopted daughter.</p><p>There had been Christmas, which was nice, since it was Emori's third time out of her fifteen years experiencing a truly happy Christmas that was date accurate. Everyone was there--Tim, Cass, Dick, Bruce, Alfred, even Steph, and Barbara for a few hours--and the most exciting part: <em>Dick got her a beta fish</em>. She named him Bubbles. </p><p>But above that, publicity for their team had sky-rocketed since Cuba. Emori hadn't been able to go, and Bart had given her the play-by-play of everything that happened, and paired with dozens of articles, she got the idea of what had happened. But with rescuing more meta-teens, especially in a country that was against meta-humans, they were bound to get attention on both sides. One reporter had even managed to get Bruce's personal number asking about Emori and a vein had popped out on his forehead that she had never seen before.</p><p>To spare herself from the stress and stress-induced anxiety, Emori had deleted every form of social media off of her phone. Since Perdita had made an account on Twitter, Emori had publicly made several on various platforms, to help Perdita's publicity as well as her own, and the Outsiders. Unfortunately, it was easy access for anyone to send a hundred threats a second to her, ridiculing things Emori hadn't even had time to think about. It was the right move, but still, she felt weak that a few thousand anonymous--and not anonymous--people could make her back down.</p><p>But it was fine, it didn't matter at all. She was on a mission in Bwunda, watching over a UN press conference with the other Outsiders except for Brion and Virgil, as well as Miss Martian, Tara, and Violet. Barbara had picked up something on the internet about a possible attack on the next UN meeting in Bwunda, and since Emori was in the Cave when it was picked up, she made the redhead promise not to tell Dick or Bruce so she could get there first.</p><p>But after two years of being in the fast-paced world that was the past, she wanted to scream. The ache in her legs from squatting for so long wasn't bothering her, but the boredom was enough to make her want to cause some chaos herself. She couldn't say anything, either, even with the comms. There was no need to take the risk of someone hearing them, even though they were on the rooftop.</p><p>It had been nearly two hours, and Emori couldn't make out a single word that Lex Luthor, G. Gordon, or the Bwundan general were saying, so she decided to do something else. Jaime was the only one with her, and he would understand, Khaji would immediately translate it for him. There was the mind link, since Miss Martian had gone with them, but everyone else found it annoying when they had conversations with each other.</p><p>Her fingers formed the signs for his name a bit clumsily, even after large amounts of practice. Still, the scarab must have understood, because Jaime cocked his head to the side slightly.</p><p>She thought for a moment, going over the movements in her head. She had been trying to learn sign language for nearly a year after she decided that it'd be good for missions but also if her hearing worsened. Still, she didn't know enough to carry on a full-fledged conversation.</p><p>Emori signed the words.</p><p><em>Fuck this is boring</em>.</p><p>Jaime bit back a laugh, shaking his head softly. He started to write words into the gravel of the rooftop, and Emori wondered distantly why she didn't try that.</p><p><em>Shut up stupid</em>.</p><p>Emori frowned, quickly repeating 'fuck' several times, trying to remember any other curse word. </p><p>The light-hearted moment was quickly cut short when something hit Garth's neck and he stumbled to his knees. Jaime lurched forward, ready, but Emori grabbed his arm to hold him back as women clad in armored suits started attacking the UN members.</p><p><em>Beast Boy, </em>she said. <em>Go or no go?</em></p><p>
  <em>Go.</em>
</p><p>At that, they all rushed out of their hidden positions. Jaime grabbed her by the wrists and flew down to where they were, him letting go just in time for her to roll onto her knees with a bit of a scrape.</p><p>"Shit, sorry!"</p><p>"It's fine!"</p><p>A woman came at her, swiping a sword toward her throat, and Emori dodged just like the woman expected. Maybe the woman knew what her powers were, maybe she didn't. She didn't seem too cautious about Emori disappearing with the way she was hacking forward.</p><p>After stepping backward for nearly two feet she saw her opening. As the woman swung through, she lost her balance just slightly, and Emori rammed her shoulder straight into the woman's chest, knocking the sword out of her hands.</p><p>The woman skidded across the ground, unconscious from a concussion, but not too injured. Emori knew what that looked like, and that wasn't it.</p><p>Bart sped in front of her, fresh from taking down three soldiers. "Ooh, was that your dad's move? Super cool. Also, did you know these guys were called <em>B.I.F.? </em>What does that even stand for?" He caught an arrow in his hand, grinning in victory at how quickly he did it. "Oh, c'mon, that was so cool!"</p><p>"Yes, and yes, it was, but--"</p><p>Something fired toward them--a small rocket launcher, <em>something</em>--and Emori was flung off of her feet. She slammed into a wall back-first, Bart hitting the front of her, and her ears rang loudly. It took her nearly two seconds to realize that the wall was Ed, who was snapping his fingers in front of her face rapidly, his lips moving soundlessly.</p><p>"I can't hear shit!" she said, a bit too loudly. "Man, this is gonna wreck my left ear, isn't it?"</p><p>Then Flash was there and--<em>wait, </em>when the fuck did Barry get there? He definitely didn't come with them, she wasn't that injured to not remember that.</p><p>He gave her a thumbs-up, which she returned. All the B.I.F.s were down, tied up by most likely Barry, and the cameras were already rolling on Troia, Luthor, Flash, and Gar. Of course. She couldn't understand a word they were saying through the lessening ringing.</p><p>Jaime touched down at them, holding up four fingers in front of the two, his lips forming words she couldn't hear. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he said.</p><p>"Six," she said, watching as his eyes went wide. "Nah, I'm fucking with you, it's four."</p><p>He nearly shoved her shoulder before deciding against it, which she was glad for, because she had just been indirectly shot with a tiny rocket launcher.</p><p><em>That's our cue, too. Outsiders, rendezvous with the Team at the Bioship</em>.</p><p>Pounding migraine, pounding migraine. She did<em> not </em>need everyone talking in her head.</p><p><em>And let Lex have the last word?</em> Gar said.</p><p><em>This isn't your arena. It's his</em>.</p><p>
  <em>Not for long.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>"I'M HERE. TWO</b></em> hours late, but I'm here."</p><p>"We can finally get training started!" Cassie cheered. "Well, except for you. You're . . . kind of injured."</p><p>Emori squinted playfully, making the scrape on her cheekbone stand out. "Wow, I hadn't noticed. And it's not that bad anyway, I'm, like, mostly sure I didn't have all my hearing in that ear anyway. And the other one's coming back."</p><p>Virgil blinked, stopping his game of air hockey long enough that the puck slid right between his hands. "I know we are not guessing if that hearing loss was there before right now."</p><p>"Meh, it barely worked, it's been broken since I was six." She shrugged, making her way over to Bart to steal one of his Cheetos. "I could still beat all of your asses, even with a concussion." </p><p>Jaime went to shoot a remark but quickly stopped. Emori's shoulder tensed, her body going half-visible as she turned around to where Jaime was staring, expecting to see an enemy that had managed to get past them.</p><p>Even worse. It was three parents--Ed's dad, Jay, and a white woman that she didn't recognize. And they all looked <em>pissed</em>.</p><p>"Mom?" Cassie said. "I just left you in D.C. How'd you get here?"</p><p>"<em>Mi padre</em> is how," Ed said, eyebrows pinched together in frustration. "He used to work for the Erdel Initiative on the Justice League's Zeta-Tubes. He hacked their access, and they zeta'd to the L.A. Wayne Tech tube."</p><p>"We did," his father agreed. "Because the three of us compared notes and agreed we need to talk to the Outsiders."</p><p>"Guys, look!" Gar pressed a button and the holographic computer screen appeared, showing a tweet from some girl with a blurry photo of an Ivo bot. God, those things gave her the creeps ever since she accidentally found one of them in the bunker. "One of Professor Ivo's robot M.O.N.I.Q.I.s and this girl, she's reaching to us for help! It's exactly what I hoped would happen!"</p><p>Bart nodded. "Check her profile."</p><p>Jay looked at him in shock. "Wait--" </p><p>"Got it," Gar said. "The user's LittleMatchGirl16. She lives in Dublin, Ireland. And I'd hit the Troub-Alert, but we're all geared up and ready. So, the Outsiders are outta here!"</p><p>"No," Jay objected. "None of you kids are going anywhere. Not 'til we hash this out."</p><p>"Um, Jay, I really respect you," Gar said, walking toward the adults. "But the fact is, I'm an emancipated minor, and Jaime and Virgil are both 18."</p><p>"But Eduardo, Bartholomew, and Cassandra do not have our permission to go," Ed's dad countered. "And Emori is still a minor as well."</p><p>Everyone quickly objected aside from Emori.</p><p>"Sorry, guys," Gar sighed. Even he knew it was no use. "Brion, you coming?"</p><p>The prince shook his head from where he was on the landing upstairs. "You had better go without me."</p><p>"Alright. Emori?"</p><p>She shrugged. "I'm in." She smiled apologetically at Ed's dad. "Sorry, Dr. Dorado, but this doesn't really apply to me. I'm not eighteen yet, but my parents aren't really alive to be here to object. And Bruce's my guardian and he supports this. I'm allowed to go."</p><p>"Like hell you are," Jay scoffed, taking her by surprise. "Yesterday you nearly got blown half to death, and Bart might be fine because of his healing, but if he wasn't there, you'd be much worse than you are now."</p><p>"Jay," she argued as the ones leaving began to go. "I'm fine, that wouldn't have hurt me too bad. A little explosion isn't that bad."</p><p>"It most certainly is!" He looked at Ed's dad. "Help me out here."</p><p>"He's right," the man agreed. "It could have broken your ribs, or damaged your hearing permanently. Your body isn't made for such extreme forces."</p><p>"I appreciate you guys worrying, but I am," she insisted. "That's not the first time I've nearly been blown up and, I'm sorry, but I don't think it'll be the last. And I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. I might not have super-healing, but I've survived all of this anyway."</p><p>Cassie's mom shook her head. "Can't you find other ways to get attention?"</p><p>Emori's head snapped toward the woman. "Excuse me? This isn't about attention, you can't begin to understand what--"</p><p>Bart grabbed her arm, pinching right at her elbow. "Simmer down, T-kid."</p><p>The old nickname that she hadn't heard since years before the past immediately calmed her down, but the flame was still there, burning angrily in her chest. Who was Cassie's mom to say that? Why the hell would Emori be doing everything for attention? She didn't want to get blown up, or stabbed, or everything else that happened, but it was part of the deal. And she wanted to make sure that didn't happen to anyone else, so what was so wrong with that? Screw her for wanting to make sure no other kids watched their family get brutally murdered.</p><p>"I think what Emori is <em>trying</em> to say is that we're not doing this for attention," Bart said. "We want meta-teens--or anyone, really--to not have to face what we've faced. What all of us have faced. No one needs to be put on mode anymore."</p><p>Cassie's mom's face scrunched at that, but she didn't question what 'on mode' was.</p><p>"Exactly," Emori agreed. "We've been doing this stuff since we were kids, it's no different now."</p><p>"I've been on the team for two years," Cassie said.</p><p>"It was one thing for you to be part of a covert unit!" her mother huffed. "But now you've put a target on your chest that rightfully belongs to Wonder Woman. You're in the crosshairs for all of her enemies. If not all of the League's!"</p><p>Bart pinched her arm. He knew what Emori was going to say. That they had <em>always</em> had targets on their backs, at least from the people they should be worrying about. They had fought the Light and the Reach two years before--if they wanted to find them, they would find them, secret identity or not.</p><p>"Damn it," Jay said. "You'd think you kids had never been to the Watchtower's Grotto. Most of the memorials are to kids like you, who never got the chance to grow up, marry, or have children of their own. Wally Was like a grandson to me. I don't want any more holograms."</p><p>Bart winced. "Aw, Jay, that's not fair. None of us want that."</p><p>"But you're putting these targets on yourselves! For Christ's sake, Emori named herself <em>Target!</em>"</p><p>"It wasn't <em>about that,</em>" she said. "It isn't--it was like reclaiming it. For once, I wasn't going to let people stick a target on my back and run away from it. If they wanted to do it, I'd fight them, not run. It isn't--none of this is about being scared. We want to protect people."</p><p>"And who are you protecting, Eduardo?" his father said. "You nearly got killed yesterday, and you don't seem upset at all. At what cost do you protect people?"</p><p>"I was always in danger ever since I was kidnapped!" Ed said. "That's what this is about. When I got my powers, I was lost. I didn't know what to do. Nothing had ever happened like this, to anyone really. Not naturally. But if I had had someone to look up to, someone like me, it wouldn't have been as bad. That's what we want to do. Make sure kids like us don't have to do it all on their own."</p><p>"And you?" Cassie's mom asked.</p><p>"I--I have these powers," Cassie said. "They're not a meta-gene, but they're just as scary sometimes. Kids need to see people like us, people like them. If I don't do anything with these powers, what's the point of having them?"</p><p>The team had already left and Emori looked longingly at the Zeta-Tube, tempted to disappear and rejoin them in Ireland.</p><p>"Oh no you don't," Jay said with a shake of his head. "We're talking about this, Emori. It's time someone told you the truth. You're too reckless, you think you can always make it out. But nothing ever goes to plan, especially not as a hero. I know that."</p><p>"I'm supposed to be a hero," she sighed. "That's--these powers, they're too good to waste. Because if someone else had them--someone that didn't have superheroes around them--they'd be made into a weapon. And I know you know that, too. I'm doing this because no one deserves that, not anymore."</p><p>Ed nodded in agreement. "Because if we don't do it, then who?"</p><p>"Whom," his father corrected softly, a twinkle to his eyes. Something deep within Emori's chest ached for that, the father-child bond that was there even when they argued.</p><p>"Mom, I know you're worried, but this is something I have to do," Cassie said. "I'm being careful, Wonder Woman taught me well, remember?"</p><p>Her mother sighed. "I know but--just promise me if something is too dangerous for you, you'll stop?"</p><p>"I promise."</p><p>The two parents were on board with their children being on the Outsiders, which was good. Except for Jay, who was still staring at the two friends, unamused. Emori was a bit confused--did he really care that much for her?--but she didn't question it. It didn't seem like the right time to tell Jay that he wasn't her dad--that no one was--even though she desperately wanted to.</p><p>"Don't give me that look," he said, arms crossed. "I'm worried about you two. After what happened two years ago--with Wally, with getting stuck--I don't want you to overwhelm yourselves. You don't have to be heroes, not in the spotlight for the League's enemies."</p><p>"This is safer, Jay," Bart insisted. "People have our backs--and it isn't covert work, if something goes wrong, there's proof of who did it. We're not going in alone anymore."</p><p>The older man's jaw clenched, a vein popping out. "...Fine. I guess you're right, son. As long as you two are careful, I'll allow it."</p><p>Bart smiled widely. "Thanks, Jay! I promise you won't regret it, pinkie promise."</p><p>As he held up his pinkie finger, just to prove the point, Emori rolled her eyes. "I'll be careful--after all, careful's my middle name."</p><p>"Really?" Cassie said. "I thought you didn't have one?"</p><p>"Oh, I definitely don't have one, it makes those jokes so much easier." </p><p>The four teenagers exchanged looks, an understanding passing through them.</p><p>"We're family," Emori said. "All of us, even if we haven't known each other for that long. We wouldn't let anyone get hurt."</p><p>Cassie hugged her mom tightly, and the two whispered something to each other. With a wave goodbye, the blonde left with her mother. Ed was next, with only a small grumble toward his father, he told his friends goodbye and left.</p><p>"So . . ." Emori rocked back on her heels. "It's been a while?"</p><p>"Give me a hug, kid."</p><p>She hugged the man, tight. She had seen him when she spent the night at the Garrick's after her fight with Dick, but that was it. She hadn't seen him for months before that, and only a few glimpses afterward. She missed him. He wasn't her father, or even her grandfather but he was--he was something else. He cared for her, almost exactly like he cared for Bart.</p><p>"Come here, you too."</p><p>At Jay's call, Bart sped over, wrapping his arms around them, his head perched on Emori's shoulder. "You know, I think this is the perfect time to ask a question."</p><p>Jay hummed in response.</p><p>"I think that we should go to that cupcake place right by the house--Emori's basically rich by association, she can pay for it."</p><p>The man laughed. "That's not what I was expecting. And I'm not making her pay, c'mon you two."</p><p>Emori silently pumped her fists as they all walked toward the Zeta-Tubes. She loved that cupcake place, it was like heaven. The flavors were a bit overwhelming, but she loved it anyway.</p><p>When she saw Tara on the second floor texting someone she waved brightly, and the girl quickly pocketed her phone in a panic and waved back. Huh, weird.</p><p>"Hey," she said, bumping her shoulder into Bart's as the Zeta-Tube began to shine gold. "First one to the cupcake place doesn't have to do one of their chores at the tower."</p><p>"Oh, you're so on!"</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Cellophane</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>"COOKIES!"</b>
</p><p>At Steph's yell, Emori vaulted over the couch, nearly slipping in her socks as she managed to get an elbow in to shove Tim and Cass out of the way. She was the first of them to get there after Steph, grabbing a handful of cookies for herself as the others ran in behind her.</p><p>"Damn it!" Cass hissed softly, picking up the last marshmallow chocolate chip cookie. Everyone knew Emori loved marshmallows a bit too much.</p><p>Tim bit into a cookie, chocolate smearing onto his fingernail. "Hey, weren't you supposed to call Perdita tonight?"</p><p>"Last-minute meeting," Emori shrugged, already on her second cookie. "It's classified. But she said she'd call me tomorrow in between meetings, which is cool I guess."</p><p>"Yeah." Tim took a sip of Steph's milk and she slapped him on the arm. "Have you heard from Dick? He said he'd text when the mission was over, and Barbara didn't answer when I texted her."</p><p>"Trust me, I've tried calling them both," she huffed. "Those bastards won't answer. I'll head over to Gar's in the morning, if anything's wrong, they'll know."</p><p>"I'm sure they're fine," Steph said. "This is <em>Dick </em>we're talking about."</p><p>Tim laughed. "You're right. I'm pretty sure nothing can kill him at this point."</p><p>Emori didn't say anything and only kept eating her cookies. </p><p>"Is someone's phone vibrating?"</p><p>At Cass' question, they all looked around, before Steph found Emori's phone--which was in an oven mitt for some unknown reason--and handed it to her. "It's Brion."</p><p>Emori held the phone to her ear, a greasy fingerprint left on the answer button. "What's up?"</p><p>"It's Grayson," was his immediate response. "The mission--it went wrong."</p><p>The cookie dropped out of her hand, her eyes immediately beginning to burn. "No, Brion, it isn't--is he . . .?"</p><p>"He's alive, but--it is hard to explain. Garfield told me to call you to bring his family."</p><p>"Y-Yeah, of course, just--I'll be there, just give me a minute."</p><p>He hung up and she put the phone down with a shaky hand, the others looking anxiously at her. "Dick, he's--he's hurt. I think. I don't know."</p><p>"But he's alive?" Cass asked.</p><p>"Yeah, he's alive."</p><p>"You two go," Cass said. "Bring Alfred, we'll let Bruce know. Just--let us know if he makes it."</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>The next few minutes were a blur. They told Alfred, they hurried into the cave, they grabbed their suits because <em>god what if it was the start of something</em>, and took the Zeta. The entire time her heart was pounding against her ribcage, every beat making her think <em>he's gone, he's gone, he's gone</em>.</p><p>When they finally made it Emori dropped her duffle at the tube and sprinted to the medbay where Bruce and Barabara already were. </p><p>Dick was on the bed, wires hooked to him, sweat clinging to his skin as he writhed in pain. Tears streamed out of the corners of his eyelids, down onto the sheets that tangled around his legs like ropes.</p><p>She sucked in a breath, a hand clapping over her mouth desperately as tears filled her eyes. She couldn't lose him, not again. She couldn't watch him die. She couldn't survive it.</p><p>Bruce seemed to break slightly. "Emori . . ."</p><p>Before he could finish, she hurried over, wrapping her arms around him, anything to drown out the sound of Dick's pain. He didn't hesitate to hug back, his arms wrapped around her tightly, like somehow he could shield her from everything that was happening.</p><p>"He'll be alright, he's strong."</p><p>"But you don't <em>know that</em>," she whispered, shaking her head against his chest. "He--he's just human. What if--what if he--oh god what if he doesn't--"</p><p>"Help me strap him down," Dr. Jace said. "His brain is swelling."</p><p>Emori pulled away in horror. "No, no, no, no, he can't--oh my <em>god</em>--"</p><p>"Tim, get her out of here!" Bruce yelled, shoving past them to hold Dick down as he jerked upward. "<em>Now!</em>"</p><p>She fought against him but Tim was stronger and she couldn't fucking think past anything but Dick. Tim told the few people that were waiting to get ice, but he wouldn't let her leave--<em>why wouldn't he let her fucking leave</em>--</p><p>"Emori, you have to calm down," he said, wrapping her in a tight hug. "<em>Please</em>. There's nothing we can do, Dr. Jace is doing everything she can--"</p><p>"I-I can't watch it again!" she sobbed, gripping the back of his shirt. "I-I can't let him die again."</p><p>"Wait, what? Did this happen in the future too?"</p><p>She stiffened in his arms. "It wasn't--it wasn't like this. He got shot, and there wasn't anything we could do, it was too deep and--I-I couldn't do anything, just like I c-can't now. If I had kn-known he was going, I would've st-stopped him, I would've t-told him it was too dangerous."</p><p>"Now? Or back then?"</p><p>"<em>Both</em>."</p><p>Tim took her over to sit down on the couch, handing her tissues to wipe her face. It didn't do much, but she slowly started to stop hyperventilating until she could shut her eyes to stop crying.</p><p>"You okay?"</p><p>"Do I fucking look okay, Tim?" She sighed sharply. "Sorry, that wasn't--that wasn't fair. I just . . . I <em>hate</em> this. I hate being helpless. With that thing in Brooklyn, with those Reach ships I--it's like everything from my past is coming back. I was<em> finally</em> getting better, y'know? And then those stupid ships, I thought the Reach were coming back to take us and--and I thought they were finally going to kill me--"</p><p>"Hey, no, don't say that," he said, rubbing her arm gently. "Don't--don't even say stuff like that. I wouldn't let you die, none of us would. You're--you're family, okay? We wouldn't let that happen."</p><p>"But you don't understand--"</p><p>The elevator doors dinged open and Emori quickly wiped at her face with her sleeves before she realized it was no use. Gar was the first one to see her on the couch and he hurried over, nearly sliding on his sneakers as he sat beside her.</p><p>"It's okay, Em, Dr. Jace knows what to do."</p><p>Emori hugged him tight enough she swore her fingers would bruise. "<em>Gar</em>. Do you know what happened? How did this happen?"</p><p>"It was Gretchen, she--"</p><p>Bruce, Barbara, Kaldur and M'gann came out of the kitchen and Tim stood. "I'll be right back, I have to talk to them about something."</p><p>"<em>You were all working together!</em>"</p><p>Emori's head snapped up at Jeff's yell. He was standing a few feet from them, anger seeming to roll off of him in waves. And--and Bruce's eyebrows were pinched together. He knew what Jeff was talking about.</p><p>"Mr. 'I Don't Join Teams' Grayson takes me on a rogue mission to Granny's house, where we're rescued by the co-chair of the Justice League and a Bat-Family drone!"</p><p>"That's on me," Barbara sighed.</p><p>"I can explain," Kaldur said.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sure it is. And I'm sure you can! But it doesn't stop there." Why--why was no one denying it? What did they do? "Or start there, for that matter. That joint-op busting meta-traffickers around the world? Dick explained it all so logically. It was intel M'gann provided to us, to the Team, and to the League. But, of course, it was really the <em>six of you</em> coordinating! Just how long have you been coordinating?"</p><p>Of course, she was so <em>stupid</em>--</p><p>"When I quit the Justice League and wouldn't join Batman Inc.? Did Dick recruit me in Markovia just to keep me in the fold?" His eyes widened. "Holy . . . when the League split, Batman didn't blindside Aquaman! You both planned it in advance! Created that dog and pony show to <em>lie</em> to every one of your fellow Leaguers! And why? So you could break the law with impunity while dragging me into it?"</p><p>Jeff was inches from Kaldur.</p><p>"It is not as bad as--as you make it sound."</p><p>"Oh no, I'm guessing it's worse. Everything's a lie!" Jeff yelled. "Badass Kaldur getting his badass kicked in Brooklyn, Maine? That was just to make the Outsiders look good, wasn't it?"</p><p>Emori reeled back like she'd been slapped. Her eyes began to water as she stood, looking between the people she called family. "He's--he's lying, right?" No one looked at her. "<em>Say he's fucking lying!</em>" </p><p>She took a shaky breath as she shook her head. "I can't believe you guys! How long have you been doing this? Since before I came to you? Oh my god--was any of this even real? Have you just been <em>lying</em> to me this entire time?"</p><p>Tim shook his head. "Emori, it's not like that! This hasn't been going on that long, we're not lying to you. I wouldn't do that--"</p><p>"After Brooklyn I was a mess, and you were there! You said you were sorry that happened, that you wished you could've stopped it!" she yelled. "Was that a lie, too? Who--who fucking does that?! You knew what that would've done to me--what it would've done to Bart and Jaime!"</p><p>"Emori," Barbara said, "this isn't the place--"</p><p>"Fuck that, this is the place to do this!" She ran a hand through her hair, pulling at the ends. "I was so excited to meet you, I'd heard about you all my life--'Barbara Gordon, the famous Oracle!' And--and you called me your sister, for fuck's sake. Was that a lie, too? Or did you guys just not care anymore?"</p><p>Bruce took a deep, calming breath. "Emori, it was a risk we had to take. You wouldn't understand what is going on behind the--"</p><p>"I did this!" she yelled. "Two years ago, I did the same exact thing you're doing now! I lied to everyone, lied about myself, all to <em>actually</em> save the world. Because I knew it was going to end. But--but this? You're playing with people's lives--what if someone died? What if one of <em>us</em> died?"</p><p>"That--that was not a possibility."</p><p>"This isn't over," Jeff huffed. "We'll finish this conversation. But right now, you got someone else to talk to, Bruce--your kid."</p><p>Emori was seething, her fists clenched as light translucent waves rolled off of her. She couldn't <em>believe</em> them. After all that "don't keep secrets" and "don't overwhelm yourself" they did both of those. Dick, that bastard--</p><p>"Let's take this into another room."</p><p>After a look from Emori, Gar steered the Outsiders away, into their rooms, far enough away that they wouldn't see what was going to happen. When the doors finally shut in the kitchen, Emori clenched her fists so tight that her nails dug into her palms.</p><p>"I can't believe you," she said. "You--you <em>manipulated</em> me. And don't say you didn't, you knew what you were doing. Like I-I was some stupid puppet on a string! What the hell is wrong with you?"</p><p>Barbara adjusted her glasses. "Em, this was important. You said it yourself, that you'd do anything to save these kids from going through what you went through."</p><p>"Don't you bring that up," she hissed, her eyes seeming to shift--just like the Lazarus Pit. "Don't <em>any</em> of you bring what happened to me up. You--you can't do that anymore, not after what you did. You knew what seeing those Reach ships would do to me--no, to <em>all </em>of us--and you did it anyway. And--sure, I guess I can overlook it for the mission. If it was me two years ago, I would've done the same thing--I <em>was</em> prepared to do the same thing. But lying to me about it? The entire time? And what about Cass and Steph?"</p><p>Barbara sighed. "Actually, they're in on it too."</p><p>Emori blinked, her chest aching. "So just me, huh? I-I should've expected this. I <em>knew</em> it was stupid to get so attached to you guys, but--I just wanted to know what it felt like to have a family that'd stay. I was so <em>stupid</em>. No one stays, not really, and you--you knew that." Her chin trembled as she looked at Tim, hot tears falling down her cheeks. "You knew that, I told you everyone always left, or I had to leave them. And you don't even care, do you?"</p><p>Tim had the audacity to be teary-eyed. "I didn't--I didn't realize until it was too late. Is that what you want to hear? You're always so . . . so <em>different</em>. I didn't think this would hurt you until Brooklyn."</p><p>"You mean when all of you let me think the people who enslaved me all my life were back? Or when you all comforted me after it even though it was your fault?" She shook her head in disgust. "Bruce you said--you said you were scared that I'd overwhelm myself again, that I'd--that I'd actually kill myself this time. <em>A-And y-you fucking l-lied!</em>"</p><p>"Emori," he said, sounding like his heart was splitting in two. "You have to know that was never my intention, I--"</p><p>"I know, and that's the worst part." She wiped at her face, the sleeve of her sweater feeling like sandpaper against her raw skin. "B-Because you <em>never</em> think past your mission. I-It consumes you. You--you do everything it takes, and then you do damage control after. <em>That's</em> what you do. And--I know I should've expected it, because I'm not like Tim or Dick, I'm just some stupid kid that couldn't control their powers that you took in, but I hoped that maybe--maybe it'd be different. That<em> I </em>was different."</p><p>"You're my daughter, it doesn't matter how it happened. I adopted you, Emori. That meant something, didn't it?"</p><p>"Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it was just to keep up your appearances, to explain how I got there." She wiped at her eyes again. "Whatever, I'm--I'm going."</p><p>Tim shook his head. "But Dick--"</p><p>"I hope he gets better," she said, turning toward the door. "But I can't do this right now."</p><p>Her eyes were burning as her vision stopped being blurry from tears--she could finally see what was in front of her. Alfred was helping Dick walked toward them. Dick was still weak, he could barely walk, but there was a look of fiery determination in his eye that she knew wouldn't be sated.</p><p>The doors opened and slid back behind them. Alfred didn't say a word, he only gave a pitied glance toward Emori. She didn't blame him. She'd never blame Alfred.</p><p>"When I woke up Alfred told me you found out."</p><p>"Yeah, I did."</p><p>"I wanted--I wanted to make sure you were okay."</p><p>His gasps of breath through pain didn't make Emori sympathetic, not anymore. "I can't--you can't act like you care, not when you did that. Stop acting like all of you care whatever I do!"</p><p>It was clear what she was talking about, and it made the tension unbearably thick. It wasn't a topic that could be ignored.</p><p>"Emori, no matter what happens, I'd <em>never</em> want that to happen. I don't want to lose you. None of us do."</p><p>"I don't know what to believe right now." She wiped at her eyes again. "Just--just tell me. Please. Was it because I lied to you? Is that why you never told me about all this?"</p><p>She heard Bruce ask about "what lying," but she didn't care. Not yet.</p><p>Dick looked angry, for a brief second, and then it melted away into something that looked utterly heartbroken. "<em>Emori,</em>" he said, voice cracking. "No one's trying to get back at you for anything you've done. I wouldn't do that."</p><p>"I don't believe you." She took a shaky breath as she stepped close to the doors, close enough that the motion sensor caught her and they slid open. "I'm going. Don't call me, my phone's at the Manor."</p><p>"Where?" Bruce asked.</p><p>"I don't know."</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Kiss the Boy</h2></a>
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    <p>
  <b>"UH . . . I FEEL LIKE OFFERING YOU A BEER IS A BAD CHOICE."</b>
</p><p>"You're, like, nineteen dude." Emori shrugged. "And beer tastes like shit, anyway."</p><p>"That's right kid, alcohol's bad."</p><p>"Actually--"</p><p>"Nope, it's awful." Roy tossed her a bottle of water. "So . . . as great as it is to see you, what's up? You look like shit. And you sounded upset on the phone."</p><p>"The Bats did what they always do."</p><p>He winced. "Well, shit. Sorry. What'd they do this time?"</p><p>"Everything's that been going on with the League, the Team, and the Outsiders? They've planned all of it. With a few other people, but that's not really the point. And Brooklyn? Them too."</p><p>Roy's eyes widened a fraction. "Jesus Christ. That--I want to say it's surprising, but after Artemis--"</p><p>"I know. It's not unusual for them." She took a sip of the water. "But thanks, A. I didn't know who else to go to."</p><p>He always calmed her down in a different way than her other friends. In a way that was obnoxious and made her feel like something good.</p><p>"Thing One and Thing Two?"</p><p>"God, I can't handle them right now." She winced. "That came out wrong. What I mean is . . . I'd do something so stupid because I'm overwhelmed and boom! Disaster."</p><p>"C'mon, just say it. It won't kill you."</p><p>"I'd kiss them," she admitted, biting her lip. "One of them--I don't know. Which is stupid, because what the fuck, they're my best friends and Bart is practically my brother--why are you smiling?"</p><p>"You're a good liar, but not about them." He sat down in the armchair near the couch. "Look, Em. I'm just gonna say it since no one else will and you're too stubborn or scared to admit it. You wanna kiss the shit out of them, and you've practically been in love with Bart since you were kids."</p><p>"Woah--"</p><p>"That's all you talked about when it was just us on the Warworld," he said. "You couldn't think about anything but Bart. And I'm not sure when Jaime happened, but it's there. And from the looks of it, they don't care."</p><p>"Maybe not, but--"</p><p>"But what?"</p><p>She stared at him, cheeks pink, grasping for some sort of argument. "I--you--it's not that simple! You can't just date your best friend. Wait, no, you can't just date two people. I'm pretty sure that's not okay here."</p><p>"Eh, depends on who you ask. But it doesn't matter. I mean, shit, people are mad about everything nowadays. But who cares? It doesn't affect them, so what they say doesn't matter."</p><p>"...Maybe. After things calm down, I'll say something. Soldier swear."</p><p>"Still don't know what the hell that means." He bumped his forearm with hers anyway. "And I know you know this, but things never calm down. Not in this life."</p><p>"Stop making so much sense!" she groaned. "God, you're insufferable."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say." He tossed her a blanket. "I have to patrol, there's some new stupid street gang that's trying to make my life hell—and no, you're not coming with. Take a nap or something, the TV works. I think."</p><p>"Don't do anything stupid, I'm not good at stitching."</p><p>"Glad to know you got my back."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>"GREAT NEWS, A: </em></b>you're a dumbass."</p><p>He glared at her, but it didn't have any effect around the bag of frozen peas on his face. "The guy was strong, okay! Like your 5'4 ass could do anything."</p><p>"Wanna bet?" She brought him a glass of water, ignoring how he said he wanted a beer before. She wasn't sure if beer was good for a possible concussion, but she was pretty sure it wasn't. "I have a question."</p><p>He blinked at her with his swollen black eye. "Kid, if this is about family stuff--"</p><p>"God, no, I never want to think about that mess ever again." She sat down on the couch with a huff. "Just--if you knew you needed to do something, but you weren't sure what would happen, what would you do?"</p><p>"It depends on what it is," he said. "Is this about the boys? Or did you get into trouble?"</p><p>"I . . . it's not about them, it's something else. Well, maybe about them too, but not really. I just--I don't know if I should, and I don't know, but you'd know. You always know what to do even if it doesn't turn out the way you want."</p><p>"Bullshit." He took another sip of his water. "But if it's something you think you have to do, do it. As long as it isn't murder. Or at least justified."</p><p>She nearly snorted. "Yeah, no, I'm done with that kinda stuff. But. Thanks, A. And you're right. I know I should do it, I just . . . needed someone to tell me to, I guess."</p><p>"Well, great. Is it really dangerous? Did I just fuck it up?"</p><p>"Nope, it's--it's not that bad, not really. Just some personal stuff. But thanks." She stood up, grabbing her duffel bag by the couch. "I should go, I have to--to see someone."</p><p>"You sure? It's raining and--"</p><p>"I'm sure." She hugged him tightly, taking him by surprise. "See you, A."</p><p>"Later, dumbass."</p><p>With a pat on her back from his metal hand, she left, down into the alleyways behind his apartment. Once she stepped into the Zeta-Tube that was hidden as an old telephone booth, she told it where she wanted ago, waiting until she felt the familiar warm sensation of it.</p><p>She really should've called. But since she was so smart, she had left her phone at the Manor, and she definitely wasn't going back for it. Not yet. But they should still be there, he always stayed for dinner the day after, and it was only five. And if they weren't there, she'd go to Tye's or something. He was probably at the skate park, like he always was.</p><p>"Emori?" Joan said, a smile lighting up her face as she opened the door. "It's been too long! Come in, come in."</p><p>She did, giving the older woman a gentle hug as she ushered Emori further into the house. "Jay's out with Barry," Joan said. "He won't be back until late, but the boys are upstairs. They're playing video games, like always."</p><p>Emori smiled. "Um, thanks. Is it okay if I go up there?"</p><p>"Of course! You're always welcome here, and I'm sure they'd love the company. Just let me know if you three want anything, alright?"</p><p>"Of course, thank you, Joan!"</p><p>When she knocked on the door, there was a beat of silence that made her skin itch with anxiety, and then it opened. There was Bart, in sweatpants and socks, shirtless, showing off the light freckles on his shoulders from too many days in the sun.</p><p>"Emori?" he said, blinking slightly in shock. "I--I thought you were at Roy's?"</p><p>Of course he told them, that bastard.</p><p>"I was, but--hi."</p><p>Bart laughed and opened the door, letting her step into the room as he shut it. Jaime was laying on the bed, propped up by one elbow, his controller in hand. He was wearing shorts and that stupid Green Lantern sweater that Cassie had bought him as a joke, the one that was baggy and made him look like he had snake arms.</p><p>"So . . ." Jaime paused the game, making the TV illuminate a blue light into the semi-dark room. "Hey."</p><p>"This is probably super weird since I just showed up without calling or anything--sorry, I left my phone at the Manor--but, I just . . . do you guys know what happened this morning?"</p><p>"Yeah," Jaime said with a wince. "I'm sorry, Rory."</p><p>"It's fine, I just--it made me think, I guess. And . . . I trust you guys, a lot. Like, way too much. I guess that's kinda the thing, I always trust people too much after a while, cause I'm just excited that someone's there, I guess? I kinda trust that they'll stay, which is stupid, but--okay, this isn't really making any sense. What I'm trying to say is that the whole thing a while ago, it was because I was scared. I didn't--I didn't like it. I didn't like how much I trusted you guys, and I <em>knew</em> you'd stay. It wasn't a trust thing, I just knew and . . . it was scary. That had never happened before, there's always been that 'what if' with everyone, and I was terrified of it, so I screwed it up because that made sense."</p><p>"But . . . I guess I'm saying that I want you guys to stay." She fiddled with the sleeves of her sweater, staring down at her feet. "I want to stay with you."</p><p>And somehow <em>they understood</em>. It was something Emori had never said, something she was always too terrified to even think. Because eventually, people died, they left, or they got tired of her--but no matter what they did to each other, or how hurt they got, they stayed. For the first time, Emori knew, without a doubt, that even the end of the world wouldn't make them leave.</p><p>"I want to stay too," Bart said, his smile infectious. "And, he's bad with words, but he does too."</p><p>"<em>Hey!</em>" Jaime glared at the speedster. "It's true, but it was rude."</p><p>"So, um, I didn't really think this through actually," Emori said, realization dawning on her. "Um--yeah. Shit. Is this weird? That was definitely weird, wasn't it?"</p><p>"Maybe. But it was cute." </p><p>Bart kissed her and <em>holy shit</em>. It wasn't like people said, like fireworks or supernovas, but just the fact that it was <em>him</em> felt better than anything ever could. His hands were warm and he tasted like those stupid green apple jolly ranchers and his hair was tangled between her fingers and--</p><p>She pulled away, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. "Hi."</p><p>Jaime laughed from the bed, trying to muffle it by his hand. Emori looked at Jaime and she could only think <em>wow</em>. There wasn't anything different about him but there was just <em>something</em> about him that made her heart swell in her chest.</p><p>"Just, quick suggestion," she said, poking Bart in the chest. "Put a shirt on, you're distracting."</p><p>"Oh, <em>really?</em> Is my awesomely muscular body distracting you?"</p><p>"That's it. For that, no more kisses."</p><p>"<em>Wait, no, I take it back!</em>"</p>
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<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Happy</h2></a>
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    <p>
  <b>"<em>BRION!</em>"</b>
</p><p>Emori nearly collided into him, knocking the tall teenager back a step. "I heard what happened and--shit, I'm so sorry."</p><p>He nodded as he returned the hug, hesitantly at first until he seemed to sag into it. "Thank you, Emori. It--it means a lot from you."</p><p>"Tara? Is she okay?"</p><p>"She's . . . managing. I don't think this is the first time she was manipulated like this." His voice was razor-sharp at the last part, a wave of undeniable anger toward the things people had done to his sister. "And Violet--"</p><p>Emori waited for him to continue but he never did. "I know how it feels to have someone taken from you like that and not know where they are but--just remember you have so many people looking for her too, alright?"</p><p>"I know but I cannot--I cannot just <em>sit here</em> while that woman takes Violet! I can't let it happen again, I <em>won't</em>."</p><p>She pulled away to look Brion in the eye, a firm look in her eyes. "This isn't your fault. Tara getting taken wasn't your fault. There's nothing you could've done, sometimes things just . . . don't work out the way we want them to. But you found Tara, didn't you? After everyone else gave up, you never stopped looking. And you found her."</p><p>"But people got hurt because of me, you had to come to Infinity Island because I made a rash decision--"</p><p>"Brion, it's <em>okay,</em>" she said, grabbing his hand. "It wasn't the best decision but any of us would have done the same thing. Your love for your sister--for your siblings--is what makes you . . . you."</p><p>He sighed. "I suppose so. Thank you, Emori."</p><p>She smiled until her eyes crinkled. "Of course, your majesty."</p><p>Brion let out an offended noise as she bowed and hurried away, but Emori couldn't help but laugh at the shocked look on his face as she hurried up the stairs. </p><p>She knocked on the door with the little monkey sticker she had put on within the first week of them being there. </p><p>"M'gann, I told you to--oh."</p><p>Emori waved weakly as his anger started to diffuse. "So, uh . . . I blew off some steam and I'm back now? I kinda stole some of my stuff from the Manor--don't tell anyone about that--and, uh, I think I'll stay in my room here for a bit. Until I'm sure I won't punch someone in the face."</p><p>"You and me both." He motioned for her to come in. "C'mon, Virgil just left, he's going to see Jeff, and . . . who knows how that'll go."</p><p>She laid down stomach-first on his bed, her feet in the air behind her as he flopped down beside her. "Yeah, Jeff was pissed last time I saw him. I thought he was gonna punch someone. Or throw himself out the window."</p><p>"You were pretty pissed, too." He propped himself up on one elbow so he could turn to face her. "Have you talked to any of them? I know it's only been a day, but--"</p><p>"I haven't said shit to them, it's their fault."</p><p>"I know, but--"</p><p>"Gar, you don't--nothing's ever been <em>mine</em>, okay?" She shut her eyes to stop the burning in them. "Everything I had was scavenged. There was no life there, not like there is here--you worked to the bone and fought and that was it. There was nothing else. And here I always felt like I was living in a shadow that wasn't meant for me anymore because I finally had a choice. I could choose what I wanted to do with my life, you know? I'd never been able to do that. My choices had always been life or death things, not--not stupid shit like cheese or extra cheese on a pizza, or what color I wanted my suit to be."</p><p>Gar hummed in response, a motion to go forward.</p><p>"So when I could make a decision like to be a hero or not be one, it was huge for me. And everyone was supportive of it. But . . . they weren't, you know? Not really, at least. I finally made a big decision--by myself, for something I actually cared about--and it was all fake. They let me believe I was actually doing something important when they were pulling all the strings. I just--how do I know if they're not lying about everything else? What if it's all fake?"</p><p>"I can't say for sure, but . . . I think they do care about you. I've seen Dick when you're fighting together, he always makes sure you're okay. He's so busy fighting his opponent but--but he always finds time to look over and make sure you're okay. Someone who doesn't care about you wouldn't do that."</p><p>"But that's the point. I don't know what's real anymore. That--that's enough to make anyone think he cares, but how am I supposed to know anymore?" She huffed. "They knew I had trouble trusting people, that I was terrified of people leaving. And what did they do? They lied to me--<em>manipulated</em> me--like it was nothing. And they're not even fucking sorry!"</p><p>She took a shaky breath. "I've never had a family like this before, but it isn't supposed to be this hard. It--it shouldn't be this hard."</p><p>Gar laid his head on her shoulder, wrapping one arm around her until she slowly relaxed into him. "It sucks, but . . . they'll always be there for you, just know that." He shrugged. "And you can stay here as long as you want. It'd be nice to have some company from the old team."</p><p>That made her crack a smile. "God, that makes me feel old."</p><p>He snickered as he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around them. "So, Em, anything else happen?"</p><p>"Besides my life imploding? Hm, lemme think . . . I kissed someone."</p><p>Gar's eyes widened and he scrambled off of her so he could look her in the eyes. "Who was it? It better not be Perdita--"</p><p>Emori snorted and had to cover her face. "No, it's not Perdita! It's--well it's two people."</p><p>"<em>I knew it,</em>" he whispered. "You kissed Jaime and Bart, didn't you?"</p><p>"How--how the hell did you know that?"</p><p>"Oh, I don't know, the kisses on the cheeks? Or the way they stare at your--"</p><p>"<em>Gar!</em>" She hit him across the chest, her cheeks flaming. "But, yes! I did kiss them, and, uh, yeah. I kissed them. Wow, that--that sounds crazy to say out loud, doesn't it?"</p><p>"I've been waiting years for you to kiss Bart, so no, it's the least crazy thing I've heard in months." His green eyes peered at her with something that was unmistakably <em>Gar</em>, something that was so much like the young boy she first met. "Tell me everything or I'll make Bart tell me."</p><p>"Okay, first, rude. Second, of course I would, you're, like, my number one confidant." She rolled her eyes. "So, it was really nice, Jaime was--"</p><p>"No, no!" He made a distinct gagging noise. "I meant like everything else but the kissing, I don't want to know what my friends kiss like!"</p><p>"Rude, I let you gush to me about Perdita." She poked him in the ribs playfully. "But okay, I'll tell you the other stuff. We talked for a bit and decided that, uh, we'd give it a go. Whatever that means. Dating, I guess." She tried to bite back her smile but it was impossible. "Yeah. I'm--I guess I'm dating them. Oh my god. I'm dating them, I-I'm dating them, holy<em> shit</em>."</p><p>Gar blinked at her like she was the biggest dumbass in the world. "Em . . . did you seriously not realize that until now?"</p><p>"Well, no! I was just happy and--oh my god, do I have to go on dates now? How do those even work? Shit, I don't even know how couples work, everyone was just trying to survive when I was a kid and--fuck, I really jumped the gun and shot myself in the leg, didn't I?"</p><p>"I have no idea what that means and it's kinda scary, but <em>relax</em>." He smiled gently. "They're hopeless, they don't care what you do. They've seen you break someone's arm with the precision of a grown man, and guess what? They still want to date you."</p><p>Emori rolled her eyes as she flipped him off. "Ha-ha, asshole. Y'know what, I think I will steal your girl after all."</p><p>Gar gasped in fake shock. "You wouldn't."</p><p>"I would, and then I'd be a queen."</p><p>He went to shoot back a witty remark before he stopped short, eyes wide. "Wait, hold on--I could be a king, theoretically, if Perdita and I--I think I need to lie down."</p><p>Emori laughed so hard her lungs hurt, and for a moment all she could think was <em>happy</em>.</p>
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<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Judgment</h2></a>
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    <p>
  <b>"ALRIGHT, GAR, YOU PIECE A'SHIT, I TOLD YOU TO STOP WAKING ME UP LATE AT NIGHT WHEN YOU'RE BAKING--"</b>
</p><p>She blinked in grogginess as she rubbed at her eyes. "You're not Gar with weed brownies."</p><p>Bart cocked his head to the side at that, still taking in Emori, who had clearly thrown herself out of bed when they knocked. Her llama calf-high fuzzy socks were half-on-half-off, she had forgone a shirt and instead was just in a sports bra, and there was a small amount of mascara smudged under her eyes from where she hadn't taken it off. And the best part: a pillow clutched in her arms from where she had clearly been hugging it moments earlier.</p><p>"Definitely asking him about that later," Bart said, "but no, we came to say hi."</p><p>She blinked at them tiredly once again. "To fucking say hi? At three in the morning?"</p><p>Bart rubbed at his arm. "Okay, you caught us. Jaime had a nightmare, and he came to my room but we kinda . . . ended up here? If you're tired we can--"</p><p>She opened the door wider, a clear invitation, and they hurried in, Bart immediately diving under the covers and taking Emori's side as his own.</p><p>"It smells like you," he said.</p><p>"That's creepy," she said. "Now scooch, you leech."</p><p>She shouldered him to the side, elbowing him until he finally moved over. "Y'know, that was a lot more effective when we were malnourished and every elbow hit the important things."</p><p>Jaime made a noise somewhere behind Bart. "Um, I'm not even gonna ask this time."</p><p>"It was a bit funny," she mumbled tiredly. "Wait, hold on--why am I the little spoon? What kinda bullshit is this?"</p><p>"Well, you told me to scoot over--"</p><p>"Turn around, I'm not a little spoon."</p><p>"Ugh, fine, Jaime, scooch--"</p><p>She turned around, Bart now the little spoon, and put her arm over him, her fingertips brushing against Jaime's torso as she tapped him insistently. Wordlessly, a calloused hand was in hers and she rubbed her thumb over his knuckle gently until Bart started to snore.</p><p>She wasn't sure if that was how dating worked, but if it was, she didn't hate it at all.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em><b>"EM, DID YOU</b></em> take your medicine last night?"</p><p>"...Did I?"</p><p>Jaime sighed and handed the pillbox to her. "Here you go."</p><p>"Thanks." She popped two pills into her mouth and washed them down with a gulp of water. "I'm pretty sure taking it right now and tonight won't kill me, right?"</p><p>Brion shook his head as he walked into the kitchen. "I do not want to know."</p><p>"Is Gar still asleep?" she asked. "He was up late last night--anger swimming in the pool as a dolphin, I think--I had to cut off the lights and heater to make him go to sleep."</p><p>The two seemed stunned at that fact, Brion blinking several times while Jaime only stared at his coffee with a stricken look. Both of them were clearly too tired to deal with it.</p><p>"So, I take that as no, no one has seen Gar today." She took another sip of her water. "God, I feel like I could nap forever. I should probably go to the gym, I haven't gone all week but . . . that's exhausting."</p><p>"Scarab says your body appears to be functioning 'at functional capacity' so I think you're good."</p><p>"Aw, look at him being all caring."</p><p>Brion blinked, eyes squinting with confusion. "Do you . . . talk to his scarab?"</p><p>"His name's Khaji Da," she explained. "It's complicated,  but I think he's okay now."</p><p>Jaime took a sip of his coffee. "Khaji says you're 'okay now as well.'"</p><p>"He called me 'Emori Wayne,' didn't he?"</p><p>"...Maybe."</p><p>Brion shook his head as he left the kitchen. "It is too early for this!"</p><p>Emori shrugged once the door shut. "You'd think for someone whose best friend is a species of alien bug he'd be a bit more understanding."</p><p>"Forager doesn't recommend we kill people, for one."</p><p>"And? They should, a little murder adds some flavor."</p><p>"I--I can't find the right response for that at six in the morning. It's impossible." He yawned. "Is Bart still asleep?"</p><p>"Last time I checked he was passed out. He stole my pillow and was hugging it--I think he thought it was you."</p><p>Jaime frowned. "Aw, that's adorable."</p><p>"Yeah, he is, isn't he?"</p><p>When Emori saw Barbara pass by the door and into the Zeta, the smile on her face quickly disappeared. She'd looked up to Barbara--wanted to be as smart as her, as strong as her--and now all she could think when she saw the woman was <em>fuck you</em>.</p><p>When she had gone invisible and snuck into the Manor for her things, there was an overwhelming rage and sorrow deep in her bones, something that ached to be acknowledged. It made anger course through her veins like burning-hot magma, it made her want to tear herself and everyone apart, it made her want to--</p><p>It made her want to scream at them and ask them if she ever meant anything to them. And she wanted to--she desperately wanted to--but she was terrified of the answer. If they didn't, then what would she do? The confirmation of her worst fears would destroy her, the mere thought of it had her stomach churning.</p><p>Jaime wrapped an arm around her, his hand resting on her hip. "I'm sorry, Em, this is--this is messed up."</p><p>"No, it's just another day for them." Her eyes turned glassy as she leaned back into him. "I just--I wanted it so bad, you know? That stupid irrational want that you'd give anything for. I wanted it . . . I wanted it more than when I was a kid and I thought somehow my dad would come back. They made me feel safe and--god, I <em>hate </em>this."</p><p>"I know." He held her hand softly and Emori's chest tightened. "I really hoped it would be okay this time."</p><p>"Nothing's ever okay with the Bats. Someone's always dying or fighting." She blew a strand of hair out of her face. "I don't know what to do. Violet's missing, no one knows where they are, everything's fucked up with the Bats, and the whole thing with my--"</p><p>When she didn't finish, he glanced down at her. "The whole thing with what?"</p><p>"It's nothing," she lied. "Just stupid stuff."</p><p>"No, I'm not going to respond to you," Jaime muttered under his breath. </p><p>She couldn't help but crack a smile. As long as it had taken for her to get used to the scarab, she did. Scarab hadn't wanted to be on-mode--Jaime said they were both terrified, even if the scarab wouldn't say it--and she could understand that.</p><p>That was the thing that made Emori finally begin to move past her hatred for Khaji Da and Jaime--Reach didn't feel emotions, they didn't care for anymore. But they died, which meant they were good.</p><p>She was okay with that.</p><p>"Hey, did your hearing get better after that explosion in Bwunda?" Jaime asked. "I forgot to ask."</p><p>"...Maybe?" She winced. "I'm not sure, but I think I couldn't hear in that ear anymore before that. Or mostly, at least. I should probably see a doctor about that . . ."</p><p>"Yeah, you definitely should."</p><p>"Meh, I went, like, my entire life without knowing I was supposed to hear out of that ear, I'll be fine."</p><p>Jaime made a squawk-like noise at her casual comment as she pulled away to rifle through the refrigerator. Bart came in a few seconds later, blinking tiredly as he rubbed at his eyes. His hair was askew, auburn strands sticking in every direction, and somehow he had lost one of his socks during the night and the other one was only half on.</p><p>"You left me," he said, his tone and expression almost identical to a pouting toddler.</p><p>"You were like a furnace," Emori complained. "And you kept kicking me."</p><p>He nodded tiredly. "Probably. In my defense, it was a nightmare. I think. I have no idea."</p><p>"I know, but I didn't kick you while I was having a nightmare," she countered as she pulled out the yogurt. "Do we have granola or did Virgil eat it all again?"</p><p>"Uh, I think Gar was supposed to go to the store, but, y'know, hero stuff happened."</p><p>Violet going missing, Dick getting sick, the 'reveal,' Dr. Jace's betrayal.</p><p>"Ah, right. Guess I'll have cereal." She opened the fridge and frowned. "If there was milk. Or cereal. Jesus, we need to go shopping."</p><p>A migraine was starting to bloom behind her eyelids and she wanted nothing more than to beat it out of her head. She had always had headaches, something she summed up to malnourishment and dehydration, but once she came to the past she found out it was from hearing loss. They were manageable at first, but since the explosion, they had steadily increased. As easy as it was to push off, it was slightly concerning.</p><p>She sighed as she grabbed a granola bar that she wasn't hungry for anymore. "I would do anything for Talia's soup."</p><p>Bart let out a groan as he rifled through the pantry. "Don't even speak about it, it's too good for words."</p><p>At Jaime's slightly confused look, Emori started to explain. She knew he wouldn't ask, he never did, but it wasn't like that anymore--it felt wrong to leave him out on something. A small part of her bitterly reminded her that Jaime still didn't know who her father was.</p><p>"Talia was a friend of my father," she said. "She could make food out of anything, even when there was nothing left in the bunkers, she managed to find things. If I had it now, it probably wouldn't taste that good, but at the time it was incredible. It was the only food we had that wasn't stale."</p><p>He nodded. He was always slightly uncomfortable when they talked about the future but he seemed more understanding. Emori tried not to talk about the "gritty" things. For her, they were day-to-day life, but she had learned that for others those were gruesome things. She didn't completely understand why it was a no-go topic, but she never pressed everyone on it.</p><p>Emori wished she didn't have to lie about everything. At first, it was second nature, lies came as easily as the truth did, but when she started to care for the people she was lying to . . . it complicated things. She was tired of lying, tired of acting like she hadn't known people. It was <em>stupid</em>, but it wasn't like she could change it. It was the way things had to be.</p><p>"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Bart said, smiling as he sat on the barstool next to her, Jaime beside him. "You have that face."</p><p>Her lip twitched. "And what's that supposed to mean?"</p><p>"It's the face you always got when we had to decide to keep a part for the machine or use it to get food," he said, his voice full of a certain edge. "You always have that face when you're thinking about something important."</p><p>Her jaw tightened until it nearly popped, an ache in it that pulsed in tune with her headache. "I just . . . I'm thinking about everything, I guess. About my dad and--and about my mom."</p><p>Bart blinked, his head jerking back in surprise. "Y-Your mom?"</p><p>"Yeah, I know, it's weird. I barely even remember her, just a few memories but I--I'm wondering who she is, you know? She was my dad's age, she'd be alive now so I just . . . I'm wondering who she is."</p><p>He ate a chip slowly, still shocked. "I mean, that's okay, I'd wanna know who my mom was too. But do you know where to start? Do you remember her name? Or her hero name? Powers?"</p><p>"No," she sighed, an ache that she wished was pain forming in her chest. "I can't remember, my dad told me, but that was almost six years ago. And her powers . . . I don't know. I think they were similar to mine, they were translucent or something. But I don't know, I was a little kid, everything's hazy." </p><p>She took a bite of her granola bar. Gross, it was Vic's blueberry kind. "I mean, I know we won't be, like, a family or anything. I'm okay with that, but I just--I want to know. Maybe it'll make things make sense."</p><p>Maybe it would make her feel okay with lying if she knew everything she was lying about.</p><p>She took another bite in what could only be described as an angry manner. "I'll have to do one of those stupid 24andyou or whatever they're called."</p><p>Jaime didn't ask questions, no doubt assuming she was still angry over what the Bats had done to ask them to do it for her with their high-tech connections. And he was right, she was angry, but she could never go to them. Because if they took her DNA--<em>again</em>--they'd find out who her father was. And then her life would truly be over.</p><p>"Everything's so complicated now," she groaned, resting her cheek on her hand as she chewed thoughtfully. "I wish I was a nobody. Just some random teenager whose biggest problem was what prom dress I wanted or what kind of car I want."</p><p>M'gann and Conner walked in, their eyes quickly going wide once they noticed the three already in the room. "Oh," she said, "we'll just--"</p><p>"It's fine," Emori said. "It's all yours."</p><p>It seemed like Emori and Conner were both in the same boat--angry at Miss Martian for what she had done.</p><p>They left the kitchen and into the living room, the familiar unending itch settling in Emori's chest. She so desperately wanted to scratch it, but she had been fine, she had been clean for almost three months, she didn't need to do it. She'd be <em>fine</em>.</p><p>The holographic intercom popped up and Emori answered it before Forager could. "Kirby? What's up?"</p><p>"Hey, Emori," the doorman said. "Uh, there's a . . . a gentleman here in the lobby to see you guys." A hologram appeared of the camera footage in the lobby and Emori's heart froze in her chest. "He says his name's Savage." Kirby paused, clearly caught off-guard by the entire situation, even if strange people had already come through the lobby before. "Should I send him up?"</p><p>"I--yes, send him up."</p><p>The line cut and Dick--who she hadn't known was in the room, or even out of bed--cut his eyes at her. "That wasn't your decision to make. We don't know what he wants."</p><p>"Vandal Savage always gets what he wants," Emori said, jaw tight. "That's what made him a horror story in my world. So either we let him up, or he comes by force. We don't have much of a choice."</p><p>Dick didn't argue, he only left to put on his suit. Emori didn't bother. There was no reason to put hers on--if a fight started, it didn't matter if she had her suit on or not. She had never met Vandal Savage--he had been long dead by her time--but she had heard enough stories about him to know he got what he wanted. It was better to try to appease him, not fight him.</p><p>Jaime was already in his suit, the scarab's armor closed around him, and Bart had sped off at some point and put his own on. She didn't ask. She was just glad they were there.</p><p>Emori glanced at Tara who seemed nervous. "Are you alright?"</p><p>Tara's eyes widened. "Oh, yes, thank you."</p><p>Emori smiled slightly as she turned away from the girl. Tara reminded her of herself when she was younger. Lost, trying to find a place, clinging to the little family she had left, struggling with two different sets of teaching--Tara clearly felt alienated by everyone and Emori wasn't sure how to let her know that she and Bart knew almost exactly how she felt.</p><p>The elevator doors dinged open and everyone rushed into place. They stood together, staring the man down as he entered. It was only the original Team--save for Wally and Zatanna--Brion, Tara, Forager, Jaime, Bart, and Emori. They outnumbered Savage, but the sheer power that seemed to radiate off of him was enough to crush that.</p><p>"I believe you're shepherds who have lost a sheep."</p><p>"Tell us where Halo is!"</p><p>Emori grabbed Brion's wrist tightly and it seemed to ground him. Which was good, but that wasn't what she was trying to do. She was fully prepared to take him to the ground if he tried to attack.</p><p>"That is precisely why I'm here," Savage said. "I know you have a Motherbox. I'm here to offer coordinates, so you can boomtube to Ms. Harper's location."</p><p>"What's the catch?" Conner asked, his entire body rigid.</p><p>"That catch, as you put it, is this. You promise to tell her abductor <em>exactly </em>who sent you."</p><p>"That's it?"</p><p>"Yes, 'that is it.'"</p><p>No one seemed to believe him, but Emori did. And Bart did too. Because by their time there were no secrets about Vandal Savage. Everything was out in the open. Which meant they knew <em>exactly </em>who he was.</p><p>A man that had lived so long he knew how to manipulate anything and anyone into getting what he wanted.</p><p>And just like they thought, he handed Conner a slip of paper with coordinates, turned and walked away, back toward the elevator, and he was gone. As if the entire experience had never happened.</p><p>"Well," Artemis said, "that went . . . well."</p><p>"Do we believe him?" Conner asked. "That that was all he wanted?"</p><p>Bart's foot tapped rapidly. "Well, yeah. It's the ultimate Savage move."</p><p>"It is?" Artemis asked.</p><p>"He is right," Kaldur said. "I spent two years with The Light, including Savage himself. He is a man of few words, but beyond that, his goals are far past our own. He has a plan for this."</p><p>Artemis' jaw tightened. "I hate that we're doing what he wants, but we have to. We don't have any other choice."</p><p>As the others began to disperse to get ready, Emori walked over to Brion. "You're going, aren't you?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>"Then I'm going, too." She shrugged. "I know this is the Team's mission, but it's Violet. She's--she's my friend."</p><p>"Stay here," Brion said. "With everyone going I think--I think it would make us all feel better if you and they stayed here. All the Outsiders on Earth except for me."</p><p>"Are you sure? I'm good at stealth, I can--"</p><p>"I am sure." Brion avoided making eye contact in any way he could. "I feel better knowing that you're here. I trust your judgment."</p><p>Emori felt her heart almost burst. "I--thank you. I'll stay here, I promise."</p><p>"Alright then."</p><p>He began to walk away.</p><p>"Brion?"</p><p>He stopped. "Yes?"</p><p>"I trust your judgment," she said. "I know you'll make the right decision."</p><p>He wasn't facing her but she could hear the smile in his voice. "Thank you, Emori."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Relief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>SHORTLY AFTER BRION AND THE OTHERS HAD LEFT FOR THE COORDINATES EMORI AND THE BOYS ALL RECEIVED TEXT MESSAGES FROM GAR. </b>He had a lead on where Violet might be, courtesy of Vic. And even after she told them that the others already had a lead Vic was still hell-bent that something was going on there, whether it was Halo or not.</p><p>"Quick question," Emori said. "Why are we at Granny's studio? The Team searched this already."</p><p>Gar glanced at his friend. "Vic?"</p><p>He sighed. "Okay, for a while now, I've been struggling to figure out the full extent of my cyber-abilities . . . It all started when I intercepted a text from Violet to Brion."</p><p>Cassie blinked in surprise. "You hacked his phone?"</p><p>"Uh, no. The cybernetic part of my brain just intercepted the text. Things like that would happen at random. I-I couldn't control it. And back then, I didn't want to. But after my recent Mobius-Tech infusion"--his <em>what?</em>--"I kinda got a handle on this 'gift.' I can reach out with my mind to anything on the web or the cloud or, well, anything electronic, really. That's how I sensed Motherbox was in danger at Granny's house. So ever since Tara told us Granny took Violet, I've been searching any and everything related to Gretchen Goode, Granny Goodness, or Goode World studios."</p><p>"How's that different from what Oracle's been doing?" Jaime asked.</p><p>Emori's mood instantly soured at the mention of her.</p><p>"It's not and . . . it is," Vic explained. "Oracle<em> travels</em> the information superhighway. I <em>become</em> the highway itself."</p><p>"Okay, Mr. Highway," Ed said, "what did you find out?"</p><p>"Uh, let me see if I can show you."</p><p>A hologram appeared out of Vic's robotic palm and Emori's eyes widened.</p><p>"<em>Oookay</em>, since when can you do that?" Cassie asked.</p><p>"First time." He frowned slightly. "Doing a lot of stuff for the first time these days. Anyway, I jacked into the studio's proprietary network and found this." Another smaller hologram appeared of a building with the number sixteen on it. "Building sixteen, a storage facility for props and costumes with no network connectivity at all."</p><p>"Gee, that's not suspicious," Jaime said.</p><p>Emori had no idea what any of it meant but she took Jaime's word for it.</p><p>"Right," Vic agreed quickly. "So I checked again and found a clear Apokoliptan signature--which I could sense, 'cause apparently that's a thing I can do now."</p><p>"Didn't the Team already search that building?" Ed asked.</p><p>"They must have missed something," Gar said. "Even if the Team already has a lead on Violet that we're almost sure is for real, we have to check this out. Something's still seriously wrong here."</p><p>Cassie's eyebrows pinched together. "If there's even a one-percent chance that something's wrong there, we're going in."</p><p>"We are," Gar agreed. "But we go in smart."</p><p>"And two men short?" Ed said. "What about Static and Geo-Force?"</p><p>"Brion's with the others. And Virgil texted he's still with Jeff. So it's just us."</p><p>"No heat signatures in the building, so no people," Vic added. "It's safe to go. Or, you know, 'safe.'"</p><p>At Vic's air quotations Emori nodded. "This wouldn't be the first time we all got tricked by false heat signatures. Just because it reads none doesn't mean there is none."</p><p>Gar nodded. "Target's right. We have to go in careful."</p><p>As everyone began to get ready, Emori strapping in her assorted weapons, Gar cleared his throat. "I have a question. You don't have to answer, but I think it'd be good to know."</p><p>"Um, okay?"</p><p>"Do you or Bart know anything about Apokolips or Granny?" Gar asked. "Y'know, from the future?"</p><p>"Uh, no, I don't," she said. "I heard a little about Apokolips from my uncle and his friend, but that was it. I guess Apokolips gave up on Earth when the Reach took over."</p><p>Bart shrugged. "Me neither, sorry. I've never even heard of them until now."</p><p>Ed raised his hand. "Hold on here. <em>Future? </em>Reach takeover? Did I miss something?"</p><p>Vic raised his hand slightly too. "Uh, yeah, what's going on? What future?"</p><p>Emori's eyes went wide. "Oh <em>shit</em>. Right, forgot you guys didn't know about that. Um, Bart, do you mind?"</p><p>"Nope."</p><p>"We're from the future," she explained quickly. "In 2016, aka when we joined the Team, we came back in time from the year 2045. In that time, the Reach had taken over the world and you can kinda guess what happened. So, we came back in time, stopped it, and boom. One-way ticket. So . . . yeah, that's pretty much it. We're from a future that doesn't really exist anymore."</p><p>Ed stared at the ground as Vic seemed to grab for thoughts. "So--hold on--you two are from the future? Like, the actual future?"</p><p>"Mhm," Bart said.</p><p>"And you came back in time when you were <em>thirteen</em> to save the world?"</p><p>"Yep, that's correct-a-mundo."</p><p>"So you guys are technically thirty years younger than us?"</p><p>"I--well, when you put it like that, yeah."</p><p>"And you guys all knew this?"</p><p>Gar shrugged casually. "Pretty much. I was there when their ship popped up. Crazy stuff."</p><p>Vic just stared blankly at his hands. "Well . . . okay, that's not even the weirdest thing to happen this month."</p><p>"You get used to it," Jaime said. "You guys ready?"</p><p>Emori quickly counted through her weapons. "Twelve. Yep, I'm good."</p><p>He blinked, raised a finger, and then put it down. "I'm not even gonna ask where you hid half of those. Alright, let's go."</p><p>Vic opened up a boomtube in the middle of the Bioship and Emori flinched at the sound. The others went through easily and Emori did, too, but she still felt uneasy at the sight of them. It reminded her of the kids that went missing, the ones she couldn't save.</p><p>Once they were in Emori turned to Bart to say something, only to notice that he was gone. "Great. I hate when he does that."</p><p>He made a sound that sounded like a laser firing as he came back. One of the props from Gar's show was on his head, one of the aliens. "Look, look, I'm a Klamulon!"</p><p>Cassie sighed. "Kid, what are you doing?"</p><p>"Besides trying to tick me off?" Gar added.</p><p>"Come on, the Klamulon's are a classic!" Bart said as he took the helmet off. "They have heads shaped like clams!"</p><p>Jaime bit back a laugh. "Not a cheesy aesthetic choice at all."</p><p>Bart 'tcch'd at them. "You guys have no taste. <em>Anyway,</em> I checked the whole place"--he threw the helmet behind him and it smashed into something that shattered--"twice. Nothing unusual."</p><p>"Something definitely feels weird here," Vic said. He raised one arm toward the ceiling, his human eye shit while the robot one stood red and unwavering. "Almost, almost . . . there!"</p><p>Emori's eyes widened and she stumbled back into Ed as a giant machine materialized in front of them. It was making an awful droning noise that reminded her of the Reach ships when they were stationary. The green light surrounding it didn't help.</p><p>Ed blinked down at her from where he was holding her in place and she smiled apologetically. "Shit, sorry. Just--didn't expect<em> that</em> to happen."</p><p>She stepped forward toward the others, her stomach churning at the sight of it and what it reminded her of.</p><p>"So," Bart said, "a big sci-fi machine making a loud, nefarious . . ." He waved his arms slowly as he imitated the droning sound. "I'm guessing it's Klamulon tech."</p><p>Emori looked to Jaime, automatically knowing scarab would have something to say.</p><p>"Not compatible," Jaime said, nodding his head miserably. "Why do I have the sinking feeling I'll be hearing that a lot tonight?"</p><p>"Give me a second," Vic said, pressing his hand to the machine. "I can figure it out. I speak its language."</p><p>Emori elbowed Jaime in the side, wincing as her bony elbow hit hard armor. "Ask Khaji if he senses--"</p><p>A scream was ripped involuntarily from Emori's lungs as the floor opened up beneath them in a flash of gold. They fell into some sort of<em> dimension</em>, filled with golden light. A pained noise ripped from her throat, too far from a scream to even be described as that as she felt herself be ripped apart. Specks of <em>something </em>floated away from her--it was as if she was being ripped apart atom by atom.</p><p>Her throat was raw, aching, but it was impossible to stop screaming. All she could feel was her body being torn apart and put back together again millisecond after millisecond.</p><p>Through the haze of her pain she could produce on thought: is that what it felt like when her dad was ripped apart by the plasma blast?</p><p>Tears leaked through the corners of her shut eyelids and she convinced herself it was because of the pain, not the memories of her dad that kept burning into her brain. What little she could think through the pain was overcome by a different kind of pain, one that had lingered for years--</p><p>Then suddenly it was over. She couldn't tell if it had been three minutes or three years but all she knew was that it was <em>over</em>. But still, front and center, was her father's face right as the blast hit, or the scorched ground of where he used to be, or how he said he loved her right before with their hand signal that only they knew--</p><p>Someone grabbed Emori's shoulder and in two seconds flat the person was on their back, a knife from Emori's ankle against their neck.</p><p>"Gods, E-Emori, lighten up a little," Cassie croaked.</p><p>"Shit, sorry! I didn't--I didn't know--"</p><p>"It's fine," Cassie said as she helped her up. "You--you seemed out of it. You didn't even answer when Gar yelled at you."</p><p>"I-I'm sorry, I don't know what happened to me, I just--"</p><p>"It's okay, you don't have to apologize." Cassie cracked her knuckles. "But someone does."</p><p>Emori couldn't help but feel satisfaction as Cassie punched Granny in the face, throwing the old woman back into the metal filing cabinets as if she weighed nothing. </p><p>"Where's--where's Jaime?" she panted out. "Is--is he--?"</p><p>"He's okay," Cassie assured her, eyes wide that Emori even suggested it. "He's somewhere--"</p><p>An explosion sounded and Emori ducked instinctively, Cassie shielding her with one arm.</p><p>"No! No! <em>No!</em>"</p><p>Emori watched with horror as Granny <em>evaporated</em> into a golden light, disappearing into thin air. Where did she go? What happened to her? What did Jaime do, was he okay? How--</p><p>A boomtube opened up and she could barely turn in time to see Vic disappear into it. <em>He was gone</em>.</p><p>Once she caught sight of Jaime and Ed she sprinted over, pulling them up from where the boomtube had blown them back. She crushed Jaime in a hug, not caring how his armor was blisteringly hot against her cheek. "You scared the shit out of me, don't do that!"</p><p>He only returned the hug, hesitantly wrapping two arms around her until they rested on her waist. </p><p>Bart sped over, Cassie and Gar only a few steps behind.</p><p>"Blue nearly died," Bart stated grimly. "Gar got his butt kicked. We didn't find Halo or anyone. Granny escaped and now Vic's vanished. So, did we just . . . <em>lose?</em>"</p><p>Emori's breath caught in her throat as she turned toward the others. "We didn't--we didn't lose. We're not losing again."</p><p>It was clear what that 'again' meant.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b>IT HAD BEEN FOUR HOURS SINCE VIC VANISHED ALONG WITH GRANNY. </b>Over ten since the others left for the space mission to rescue Violet. It was six in the morning and the sun was shining through the windows, painting the city in its light, but Emori couldn't be bothered to care.</p><p>She didn't know if any of them were okay. Brion, Tara, Forager? Reyna, Violet, Vic? And as much as she hated him at the moment, she was terrified for Dick. He was still sick, whether he wanted to admit it or not, and he shouldn't have gone. If he died she'd never forgive herself. No matter how awful of a thing he did she still didn't want to lose him. Again.</p><p>"Ugh, I totally blew it!" Gar huffed. "I never should have followed Vic's lead alone."</p><p>"You didn't," Cassie said. "You brought us."</p><p>"And Vic," he added miserably. "Now he and Violet are lost forever."</p><p>Two boomtubes--one yellow, one purple--opened up thirty feet away from them and Emori startled, immediately grabbing for her gun that was hidden under the table and cocking it. Ed and Jaime sputtered at it, but she didn't focus on that as she held the gun on the boomtubes, waiting to see who came through to shoot at the perfect moment.</p><p>It was everyone who left--<em>everyone</em>--they were alive.</p><p>Gar was immediately on his feet. "Vic! Violet! I knew you'd make it!"</p><p>Sure he did.</p><p>"It's good to be back," Vic said.</p><p>Violet smiled. "Indeed it is."</p><p>"There's more good news," Miss Martian added. "The League will soon return to Earth with hundreds of rescued meta-teens."</p><p>Ed let out a breath of surprise. "Wow. The Taos Youth Center's going to need more beds. Maybe more buildings."</p><p>"And Granny?" Gar asked.</p><p>"She . . . got away," Conner said. "But we've shut down her operation in space."</p><p>"Plus, I got proof Gretchen Goode and Granny Goodness are one-in-the-same."</p><p>Emori winced in disgust as Vic produced a hologram from his hand, one that showed the two merging together, their skin seeming to melt like metal as they formed into one.</p><p>"Dude, you M.V.P'd this!" Gar said.</p><p>"Nah, Violet's the all-star here. She rescued everyone from the Anti-Life equation."</p><p>"Which would not have happened without your intervention, Victor." Violet smiled happily. "I agree with Garfield. You are the crusher of magic today."</p><p>"All in favor of Vic joining the Outsiders?" Gar said.</p><p>"Aye!" they all chorused.</p><p>Emori glanced at Vic, who looked thoroughly shocked. "If Virgil were here, he'd vote yes too."</p><p>Conner held up his hands. "Woah, woah. How 'bout asking whether or not that's something Vic wants?"</p><p>Vic let out an unbearably long 'uhhh' in response. </p><p>"If being a public hero is a concern, you're also welcome to join the Team," M'gann suggested.</p><p>Conner nodded. "But doing something heroic today does not obligate you to join the Team or the Outsiders."</p><p>Vic looked to Forager for help, but he only made a few clicking noises as he shrugged.</p><p>"You know, when I played football, I was never afraid of the spotlight." He laughed softly. "Main, I-I sought it out. But this . . . this is in service of a better cause. So . . . I guess . . . I guess I'm an Outsider."</p><p>Emori gave him a thumbs up.</p><p>"Now you'll need a cryptonym, a, uh, <em>nom de guerre</em>," Brion suggested.</p><p>"You, uh, a what now?"</p><p>"Your code-name. Any ideas? I believe 'Hot Lava' is still available."</p><p>"Uh, why would I--"</p><p>Violet laughed as she wrapped an arm around Brion's. "That's what is called an inside joke. Choose whatever code-name suits you."</p><p>"Hm." Vic's fingers thrummed together antsily. "For too long, I've been running from what I am." He quickly caught himself. "<em>Who</em> I am. It's time I embraced all my freakishness. <em>I</em> am Cyborg."</p><p>A little on the nose, but it worked.</p><p>"Welcome to the Outsiders, Cyborg," Gar said, meeting the other's fist in a fist-bump.</p><p>As the others talked amongst each other, happy to be alive and safe, Dick made his way over to Emori. They were both still in their costumes and she had the sudden urge to punch his domino mask off his face.</p><p>"You have a cut on your cheekbone."</p><p>She blinked. "Yeah. I know."</p><p>He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I know--I know what I did was a shitty thing, okay? I just--I'm glad that you're okay. When Vic told us what happened, and that you were out of it, I thought . . . I'm just glad you're okay."</p><p>"Same here." She sat her gun down on the table. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go talk to my boyfriends and see if they're okay."</p><p>Emori had to bite back her smirk as she walked away. There was <em>nothing </em>more satisfying than seeing the expression on his face, as if she had physically slapped him by not letting him be the first to know.</p><p>They still weren't even, not by a long shot.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Family Photos</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>AFTER THE CHAOTIC PAST FEW MONTHS THEY HAD, EMORI AND ED MADE THE DECISION THAT SOME TIME AWAY FROM THE TOWER AND HERO WORK WOULD DO THEM SOME GOOD. </b>Away from the reminders of everything they'd lost, everything they'd gained, of what had happened not even a month before--something to completely take their minds off of everything.</p><p>"What if someone recognizes me?" Tara asked. "Gregor said we cannot go public with my rescue--"</p><p>"It's fine," Emori assured her as they walked through the doors of the Taos Youth Center. "No one will recognize you. Most of these people have spent the past few months here or somewhere they wouldn't know of you. You'll be safe here."</p><p>Tara didn't seem convinced, but she seemed a bit more comforted.</p><p>"So . . . what are we doing here?" Roy asked, fiddling with the sleeve of this jacket. "Are you using me for popularity points again?"</p><p>"No, but thank you for doing that." Emori glanced at her friends as they turned down a hallway. "This isn't some photoshoot of 'look, they're at Taos Youth Center.' That's stupid anyway. It's just--it's us having some time to ourselves after every shitty thing that's happened lately. Plus, they need help setting up one of the buildings. We'll set up a building with the cots and all that and have some time to ourselves."</p><p>He only shrugged at that. "Alright, but you don't get to pick the music."</p><p>"What--I haven't even done anything yet!"</p><p>"If I hear one more verse of Daddy Issues I will literally assault you."</p><p>"...Okay, that's kinda fair."</p><p>Jaime rubbed the back of his neck, dragging it across the skin until it turned white from the pressure. Emori stepped back to let Ed lead everyone toward the building and waved Roy forward so he wouldn't stop to wait with her.</p><p>"What's up?"</p><p>Jaime blinked at her. "What?"</p><p>"You're doing the"--she repeated the neck thing that he did--"thing. You do that when you're really stressed. If this is too much, you don't have to be here, but I just thought you needed some time away from--"</p><p>"No, no, it's fine," he assured her. "I just . . . sometime's the scarab's a bit much."</p><p>Emori linked their fingers together. "What's he saying?"</p><p>"Nothing bad, just--the usual. He assesses everyone, let's me know how powerful they are, if he can sense what powers they have, all that. And that's okay--it's good, it makes things easier--but sometimes it gets too much, y'know?"</p><p>They started walking toward the building, an entire hallway behind the others. "I get it. I used to do that, scan everyone and every room I walked into. Think about what could be a weapon, if there's two or three exits, if the person could be taken down with a vase or a lamp. Which . . . is a bit morbid now, but it made me feel better if I knew everything that could go wrong and how to fix it. It--it took a long time to get past it, and I'm still not completely past it, I don't think I'll ever be. But . . . you get used to it, eventually."</p><p>"I mean--it's good to know, and I think it's because scarab<em> has</em> to know everything about a situation. Like, if he doesn't know who someone is, he starts to freak out--no, you do, you definitely do--and asks me a lot of questions. I think . . . I think it's the same as that with him. In his own AI way."</p><p>"Hey, Jaime can you--can you just turn to face me for a sec?"</p><p>He cocked his head to the side slightly, confused, but did it nonetheless. The confusion lasted for all of three milliseconds before Emori kissed him, quick and a bit forceful, her hand fisting into the side of his jacket. He hesitated for a few seconds, caught off guard, but quickly returned it--Jaime wasn't too keen on physical shows of love, but he never turned down a kiss.</p><p>When she pulled away his eyes were wide. "Woah--I mean, I'm not saying I didn't like that, I totally did, but . . . why?"</p><p>"I don't know, you were just being really cute, and we were talking, and it hit me that we're just--just so open with each other and I don't know. I really, really wanted to kiss you, and then I realized I can do that now, so I did it. So, yeah, I kissed you, and, uh, I probably should've gave you a heads up first but--"</p><p>Jaime smiled and for some reason it made Emori stop and just <em>stare</em>. Because <em>wow</em>, that was her boyfriend, wasn't it? All hers--well, and Bart's--and someone she had managed to do that.<em> Wow</em>.</p><p>"Em, it's okay," he said, laughing slightly as they began to walk again. "I'm pretty sure I'll never say no to kissing you."</p><p>Her face flooded with warmth, her tan cheeks going red. "<em>Oh</em>. Well, that's . . . that's nice. I mean, same here!"</p><p>Jaime laughed so suddenly it surprised her and--and she liked it. If she could, she'd want to be stuck in that moment forever, watching her boyfriend's head thrown back in a laugh as he linked her fingers with his.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>"WHY IS THIS </em></b>godforsaken thing in Swedish!"</p><p>"Because it was made in Sweden," Emori replied. "<em>Duh</em>. Just guess what they are, that's what I do."</p><p>Jaime gawked at them. "No, no, we are not doing that--hand it here, I'll get scarab to decode it." </p><p>"I did it with my nightstand and it turned out just fine!"</p><p>"Your nightstand has a bunch of nails sticking out like it's from a horror movie."</p><p>"...Okay, yeah."</p><p>Bart sped back into the room, an ungodly amount of drinks and snacks in his hands. "I brought things! I raided the vending machine--also, Ed, uh, the vending machine is empty and I didn't pay it, I stole it."</p><p>Ed let out a sigh as he took a Sprite. "Don't admit to it, they'll never know which kid did it."</p><p>"Just like old times," Tye commented as he grabbed one, Asami nodding in agreement as he grabbed a bag of chips.</p><p>Virgil stole a bag of Skittles and glanced at Emori. "For old times sake?"</p><p>"Hell yeah, gimme the green ones."</p><p>Violet blinked in confusion as she took a Snickers, something she clearly did not know of. "Is this an inside joke?"</p><p>Asami nodded with a smile. "When we were rescued from Reach ship, we went to the same place. A--a League base. And Bart stole the food from the vending machine and we shared."</p><p>Emori nodded as she popped a green Skittle into her mouth. "It was the first time I tried Skittles, or a lot of things. And when I learned what '69' meant."</p><p>Tye sputtered out a laugh, wheezing with laughter as Asami shook her head at him. "Excuse him," she said, patting his back as he wheezed. "He has no manners."</p><p>"But it was so funny, it was like teaching a baby new words!"</p><p>Roy shook his head as he nailed a bed together. "God, I should've chosen another profession."</p><p>Emori threw a Skittle into the air and caught it on her tongue. "I think you make a kickass vigilante."</p><p>"Thanks, disaster child."</p><p>She made a sound of offense, only to choke on her Skittle. That's what happened when Arsenal was an asshole--she mysteriously died.</p><p>"I got a bed done!" Traci announced, proudly standing in front of her work. "Wait . . . okay, I might need some help, I can't carry a bed."</p><p>Emori dusted off the few wood shavings on her pants and got to her feet. "I'll help--well, if I can carry the bed. I'm pretty sure I can."</p><p>Together, she and Traci lifted the bed, and they both let out a little victory at that. Emori walked backward, Traci facing forward, the two of them headed for room #19, which thankfully was only down the hall. Emori was strong--if it came down to it, the burst of adrenaline got the job done--but there was no adrenaline and there was only so much muscle that could be packed into a 5'4 fifteen-year-old.</p><p>When they finally set the bed down in the corner of the room Emori let out a groan of relief, shaking her arms until the pressure in her shoulder released with a pop. "Oh thank god, that weighed like a thousand pounds."</p><p>There was a beat of awkward silence and Emori realized oh, <em>right</em>. Traci was Jaime's ex-girlfriend who he still hung out with. And she didn't mind that. Traci was his friend, and she trusted Jaime and she knew Traci was a good person but also . . . it was entirely different for the two of them to be alone. She hadn't seen Traci in months.</p><p>"Wow, this is awkward," Traci said, rocking back on her heels. "Um, I know Jaime said you're cool with this--which is totally because I asked him if you were, by the way--but, uh, can we start over?"</p><p>Emori blinked. "Um, y-yeah, of course. And it's fine, you're Jaime's best friend, I'm happy he made friends at his school."</p><p>Traci blushed. "Yeah, he always had trouble since the whole 'Reach outing' thing. Which, y'know, didn't matter cause who cares when you're a magician."</p><p>"Which is, like, the coolest thing ever," Emori said. "I haven't met a bunch of magicians, but I like the"--she imitated a portal with her hands and a wooshing noise--"thing."</p><p>"Oh, thank you! And I love the invisible thing you do, how does that work? It's really cool how you phase through objects like Miss Martian!"</p><p>Emori's eyes widened in surprise. No one ever really complimented her powers. "I--thank you! And it's transparency, kinda? I can make things more or less transparent and I can also change the density of things. Kinda like Miss Martian's density, yeah."</p><p>"That's <em>so cool</em>." Bart called for them. "Oh crap, we better go. But, uh, it was nice talking to you!"</p><p>Emori had a feeling she was really going to like Traci.</p><p>"Traci, can you use your magic-y powers to make the nail go in the hole? It won't go in."</p><p>Traci stared in confusion. "Um . . . maybe?"</p><p>Bart pumped his fist. "Yes! Magic for the win!"</p><p>Forager clicked his tongue. "Fred Bugg does like magic."</p><p>Reyna, who was in the corner of the common room putting together a desk, didn't say anything but it was clear she didn't share the same sentiment by the way her face twisted together. Emori didn't blame her. Based on what Gar told her happened in Cuba, she didn't want to imagine what kind of foul magic Reyna might have experienced when she was taken.</p><p>Emori wasn't completely sure if they were friends--of course she wanted to be, though--but she hadn't spent much time with Reyna since things started to pick up with the Outsiders. Reyna was getting a good deal with her powers--still struggling, but they were growing manageable--and she was finding her place on the Team. She still hadn't created a name of her own, something that was slightly strange, but Reyna seemed perfectly happy without one. </p><p>It had been easy for Emori to decide on a hero name even if she had to come up with it on the spot and under pressure. She took her father's name--at least a piece of it--and didn't have to think twice. She'd never thought about how hard it might be to be a hero from a "regular" family.</p><p>After all, in 2018's time, heroes hadn't been around terribly long. 100 years max, at least with the name hero attached and a public setting. There wasn't much room for families of heroes like Bart's who were three generations strong, four if it was counting Barry's father figure, Jay.</p><p>If Emori's parents hadn't reunited after being separated for months, what would her life have been like? She had to keep her face neutral as she sat down, the thought making her chest ache painfully. Would her father still be alive? Would any of them be alive? Would she remember her mother more? She so desperately wanted to know what her mother was like aside from hazy memories of tan skin, ash-filled hair, and wispy powers. Why couldn't she remember her? Why didn't she get to live a life with her mother, even if it was short-lived like the one with her father?</p><p>She just wanted to know who her mother was. The time for a mother was gone--that <em>time </em>was gone--but she'd give anything to just know her mother's name. To know who "mom" was. Most people in this time knew, it was <em>normal </em>to know at least your mother's name. But in Emori's time more often than not people didn't, families torn apart by the Reach until it became the norm to not know if you were the last one in your family left.</p><p><em>Fuck</em> no. She was not going to put herself in a funk again. She quite liked not relapsing, and she liked eating food, and she liked interacting with people and not crying all the time. She had been doing good even with everything happening, she wasn't going to implode it in one of her moments of self-pity.</p><p>Vic managed to somehow hack into the building's speakers--she didn't ask how, she wasn't sure she wanted to know--and since they were the only ones in that building, he played music over the loudspeakers. Which meant Emori couldn't hear <em>shit </em>unless she was right beside the person, including whatever Bart was saying to her from halfway across the room.</p><p>"Did you come over because I said I would give you two dollars if you did, or did you have no idea what I was saying?"</p><p>"...Well, if you have two dollars, hand it over."</p><p>"How about <em>no</em>."</p><p>She rolled her eyes. "Fine. What's up?"</p><p>"Nothing. You just looked kinda sad so I wanted to give you a hug."</p><p>And if Emori's heart could break apart from pure adoration it would have in that very moment.</p><p>After a quick hug, full of Tye gagging a few feet away from them and Asami slapping him on the arm, Bart sat down on the couch he had put together an hour before. He spread his legs and patted the space between them for her to sit. "C'mon, I'll hug you."</p><p>"There's still two more beds to put together."</p><p>"And there's over ten people working on them," he countered, a mischievous grin on his face. "C'mon, you know you want to."</p><p>"I'll crush your little bird legs."</p><p>He gasped with faux hurt. "First of all, you know these aren't bird legs. <em>Ouch</em>. Second, you don't even weigh 130 and I can bench way more than that."</p><p>She sighed and sat between his legs, leaning into him, her head on her chest. "I hate you. You know as soon as you bring out the bench talk I'm gonna say yes."</p><p>He let out a small laugh. "Pretty much. You see someone with big muscles and your brain short circuits."</p><p>"...Okay, yeah."</p><p>"Which is kinda funny, considering for the longest time I was the scrawniest guy on the block." She could practically hear his overdramatic expressions. "And not even like <em>runner scrawny</em>, I was straight-up malnourished, which is so not crash."</p><p>"Because I liked <em>you</em>," she said, assuring him that even if he didn't like that version of himself, she did. "And my choices were you or that gang of kids that stabbed me, so I think you were the safer choice."</p><p>He poked her sharply in the ribs. "You're the <em>worst</em>."</p><p>"Hm, maybe, but you're stuck with me now."</p><p>"Finished!" Brion announced, loud enough that she heard it over Bart's heartbeat and the music.</p><p>Cheers erupted from the others as the last two beds were hauled off toward their rooms. After hours of putting together furniture, the building would <em>finally</em> be ready for the new meta-teens to move into. And with the latest threat over Emori would have more time to spend at the Youth Center and with the Outsiders--she was more excited for that than anything.</p><p>"Everyone!" Violet said once everyone returned, the music shut off. "I have a suggestion. We take a picture together. To remember when we were all together--together without a fight."</p><p>After a few agreements, all of them started to squeeze in together, which proved to be a difficult task since there were over fifteen of them. It ended with the shortest people standing on the couch, a few on the ground, and the others standing crowded around, trying to fit into one frame.</p><p>Violet quickly set the timer and flew away, landing beside Brion in a flash of purple as everyone tried to hold the position until the camera shuttered.</p><p>Emori put her arms around Jaime and Bart's shoulders from where she stood on the couch right before the shutter went off, a million-watt smile on her face. These people weren't her friends--they were her <em>family</em>.</p><p>This time, it would stay intact. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Hot Heroes Only</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>WHEN THE HOLOGRAM BEEPED WITH 'DOORMAN' SPLAYED ACROSS IT, EMORI COULD ONLY HISS OUT A CURSE.</b> Of course she had to answer it, didn't she? It wasn't a strange task--but it wasn't enticing after the last visitor had been Vandal Savage.</p><p>She clicked the hologram. "Hey, Kirby. Who's it this time?"</p><p>"It's--uh, it's a much nicer guy this time," Kirby said. "At least I hope so, because I just gave his kid a peppermint, so . . ."</p><p>A kid?</p><p>"Uh, what's his name? Did he say it?"</p><p>"'S Will Harper," Kirby answered. "Said one of you would know who he was."</p><p>She bit her tongue as she forced her voice to stay the same. "Yep, I know who it is. Send 'em up."</p><p>"Y'sure?"</p><p>"Yep, it's fine. Don't worry about it."</p><p>"Alright, comin' your way."</p><p>Her eyes quickly widened in realization. She scrambled for her phone, diving onto the couch for it as she hurriedly dialed Vic's number from memory.</p><p>He picked up after one ring. "We're on our way back, thirteen from the Zeta in London--"</p><p>"Abort!" she yelled. "Abort! Or hide it in a bag!"</p><p>"...Shit, is Nightwing there?"</p><p>"No, Will Harper's coming, and he'll lose hit shit and tell everyone! Abort!"</p><p>Vic swore loudly and she could hear Gar mumble something in the background. "Alright, I'll hide it. If we get snitched on, we blame Gar, got it?"</p><p>"Got it."</p><p>The phone hung up right as Gar yelled a particularly colorful insult their ways.</p><p>They were in England chasing a man that held hard drives of Granny's files, which they'd manage to secure in under thirty minutes. Emori wasn't sure whose idea it was, but fifteen minutes after they texted her that they secured the drives, Vic was calling her saying he "got alcohol, because he's eighteen and he can buy it in England." A stupid, stupid idea that she was immediately on board with.</p><p>Because it was only supposed to be them and Violet. And Violet was asleep. So it was <em>essentially</em> a fool-proof plan to get beer.</p><p>The elevator doors dinged open and Emori shot to her feet in surprise, straightening out her hair as if it would make a difference. Will Harper didn't know her as anything more than his friend's sort-of sister, but to her, she still had to look alright for him. Old habits died hard.</p><p>"I--hi, you're R-Red Arrow, right?"</p><p>He smiled gently, nothing but warmth behind it. "That's me. Well, retired at least." Lian was holding a Wonder Woman and Kid Flash toy, idly playing with them. "Is Violet here? She, uh, she wanted to watch Lian here instead of at the house, something about Brion--"</p><p>"Yeah, sure, I'll go get her." </p><p>She pulled up the hologram, pressed the button for Violet's room, and fifteen nail-biting seconds later Violet came out, floating over the banister and down onto the ground floor.</p><p>"<em>Violet!</em>" Lian shrieked, flinging herself at the girl. The loud noise made Emori flinch.</p><p>"Lian, honey," Will said. "Inside voices, remember? We're <em>inside</em>."</p><p>The toddler gave a half-hearted nod as she started to babble to Violet, shoving the Wonder Woman doll into her hands as she talked about how they had to "find Kid Flash." The innocence of it made Emori smile.</p><p>"You're Emori, right?" R.A.--<em>Will </em>asked.</p><p>Her eyes widened a fraction before she managed to calm herself. "Yeah, that's me."</p><p>"Well, it's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you."</p><p>It was a casual thing for him, just thrown out there, but Emori couldn't stop thinking about it even minutes after the elevator doors had dinged shut behind him. The 'I've heard a lot about you' played over and over in her head, blending with the memories she had of him. Thousands and thousands of memories.</p><p>"Emori," Violet called, breaking her out of her haze. "Come! Lian wants to see you do your trick."</p><p>"My . . . trick?"</p><p>She knelt down next to them, the two laid down on their stomachs. "I don't get it."</p><p>"Your trick!" Lian said, like it was obvious. "Where you disappear! Auntie Mouse says it's trans--transparency, but you're invisible. Every time someone tries to punch you, bam! You're gone! 'N then you're right behind them!"</p><p>Emori's chest clenched at Lian's excitement about her. "You wanna see that?"</p><p>"Yeah!"</p><p>She disappeared in less than a second and Lian shrieked in delight, clenching her Kid Flash toy tight in her small fist. "She's gone, Vi!" Lian laughed for nearly a minute before she stopped suddenly. "...Trick?"</p><p>Emori quickly appeared again. "It's okay, I'm right here, see? Nothing to worry about L-Lian."</p><p>The girl calmed down, a smile on her face. "Just like Auntie Mouse said. You go and then woosh! Back."</p><p>"Y-Yeah." </p><p>The Zeta announced Vic and Gar's arrival and Emori let out a breath of relief. Lian was a sweet kid, she really was, but it was too much. Maybe one day--but that wasn't the day.</p><p>She hurried over to them, glancing at the plastic bag in Vic's hands. "Um, change of plans. We're on kid duty. Kind of."</p><p>Vic groaned. </p><p>"Is it Lian?" Gar asked. She nodded. "Yes! Favorite kid <em>ever.</em>"</p><p>Emori nodded quickly, her body prickling with anxiety, little needles of warmth across her body. "I--uh--shit." She let out a puff of breath at their alarmed looks. "It's--it's the kid."</p><p>Vic arched an eyebrow. "The . . . kid? The small, toddler kid?"</p><p>"Past Kids scare her," Gar offered.</p><p>"They don't scare me," she quickly defended. "They're just . . . different than what I'm used to and they're a little too carefree for me, I don't even know how to talk to them. It's--kids aren't my thing."</p><p>Gar glanced at her sympathetically. "You want us to take kid duty with Vi?"</p><p>"Oh thank god, I love you so much."</p><p>He flashed a toothy smile her way as she hurried up the stairs toward her room. She could always count on Gar, that stupid, lovable green kid.</p><p>He was a year older than her, but he would always be that thirteen-year-old she met two years before that always said things like "noted" and collected hero trading cards.</p><p>She flopped down onto her bed, stomach-first, a groan falling from her lips as her foot accidentally smacked into a framed photo of her and the Bats that she had been moping over earlier. She knocked it off her bed, down onto the rug, and moved under the covers, bringing her knees close to her chest in her secure "little ball" as Perdita called it.</p><p>God, she needed to call Perdita. They had both been so busy--with Granny, with Perdita having to <em>lead a country</em>--that they had barely any time to talk. Texts whenever they could, messages passed through Gar. Hopefully, things would quiet down. </p><p>She held her stuffed bear close to her chest under the blankets as she clicked the contact with the black and blue hearts beside it. </p><p>They picked up on the sixth ring.</p><p>Jaime was lying down on his bed, hair slightly askew, his face mostly-illuminated by the lamp on his desk across the room. Just the sight of him made her smile.</p><p>"Aw, c'mon Rory, that isn't fair--I turned my light on for you!"</p><p>"But the light switch," she groaned dramatically. "It's . . . so <em>far</em>."</p><p>"Boo," he said. "Gonna block your number."</p><p>"There's still the group chat."</p><p>The infamous chat between the three of them named 'Hot Heroes Only.' </p><p>"Shit, forgot about that." There was a beat of silence. "So, what are you still doing up?"</p><p>She frowned at the camera even though he would have only been able to make out the outline of it. "It's only eight-thirty, Jaime."</p><p>"Yeah, and you're usually in bed by eight now, you're like a grandma."</p><p>"Jaime!"</p><p>He cackles, which makes her laugh, too. "What? It's true! When we had a movie night at the Tower last week you fell asleep, like, thirty minutes into Good Dinosaur. And you picked the movie."</p><p>"I wanted to fall asleep before Spot found his new family, it makes me cry every time," she defended, as if she didn't fall asleep solely because it was eight twenty-two on a Tuesday night. "Dick."</p><p>"Such foul language."</p><p>"You fuckin' know it," she mumbled through a yawn. "'Should've seen me when I was a kid. Bart 'n I both had awful mouths--everyone back then did, the bigger the bark the bigger the bite--but my dad had the worst mouth. Like, imagine Guy Gardner times a thousand."</p><p>"Dang, that's a lot."</p><p>"Yeah, so I practically came out of the womb saying motherfucker. My dad didn't like it at first, cause I was six and telling people to 'back the fuck up,' but he liked it. I was, like, a mini him or something."</p><p>The light in Jaime's room was off, obscuring his face. "Yeah? Tell me about it."</p><p>She yawned. "What?"</p><p>"About your dad or something. You don't really talk about him and--it's nice, you seem really calm when you talk about him."</p><p>"Oh. Um, thanks." She hugged her bear closer to her chest. "Well, he was an ex-hero. Kinda. It's complicated. He was a . . . anti-hero, I guess? A vigilante that kinda hated heroes. So he was a bit rough around the edges. Had this gnarly scar across his nose from where he broke it for, like, the sixth time before I was born. Made his nose messed up."</p><p>"He never got it fixed?"</p><p>"Nope, he never saw the point. He had a lot of scars--like, a shit-ton--so it didn't bother him." She wanted to tell Jaime so bad. "He had this group of friends. They were called the Outlaws, and it was him, Red Arrow--or Will Harper, I guess--and a woman named Artemis. Another Artemis. And a woman named Starfire, but I never got to meet her. But that was my dad's team. God, they were perfect. They worked so well together, they moved like they were one person, they always knew what the other was going to do and then they--they just jumped off that into something else. It was crazy."</p><p>"They seem badass."</p><p>"Oh, so badass. They took out a whole unit of warriors, just the three of them. And Starfire? She took out a whole branch of the army the day she died--my uncle said she had the power of the sun. It was a little story people told that the sun went away the day she died. Which is kinda morbid, but for the longest time I believed it. I believed it until I was, like, thirteen I think. I only found out it wasn't true because the guy we were working with for the time machine explained the mechanics of the sun to us and didn't mention her."</p><p>"Was Starfire on the Justice League?"</p><p>"Nah, the League disbanded by the time she came around. But she was a hero, at least that's what everyone said about her. I don't know if she was back on her home planet--I can't remember the name of it, I think it started with a T or something--but she was easily one of Earth's top twenty Legacies."</p><p>"Legacies?"</p><p>"That's what we called all the dead heroes." She shrugged. "Which . . . now that I think about it that's probably super weird to you, but it's what we did. Well, it was one of the nicer names they got called, the most respectful ones."</p><p>"It's--I mean, it is weird, but it's fine. It's just new, I'll get used to it."</p><p>"You sure?" she asked. "I don't have to talk about it, I know Bart doesn't, so if it makes you uncomfortable I don't--"</p><p>"No, it's fine--I mean, it's strange, but a good strange?" He sighed loud enough that she could hear it. "It's hard to understand a world I didn't live in--an entirely different reality--but it's where you guys came from. I want to understand. Or at least hear about it."</p><p>Emori's heart swelled with something that felt distinctly like<em> love</em>. "God, I wanna kiss you so much right now."</p><p>He laughed. "<em>Y'know</em>, I think we actually have training tomorrow, and Bart'll be off his mission in the Philippines by then--"</p><p>"Jaime Reyes," she gasped, scandalized. "Are you asking me to make out?"</p><p>"...Um, maybe?"</p><p>"You're so on, lemme text Bart. I haven't seen him since Taos, that little busy bastard."</p><p> </p><p><b>EMORI❤️🖤: </b>bart are you gonna be back in town for training tmrw?</p><p><b>BART❤️💛: </b>yea, why?<br/><b>BART❤️💛: </b>did you miss me 🥺🥺🥺</p><p><b>EMORI❤️🖤: </b>ew gross<br/><b>EMORI❤️🖤: </b>but maybe</p><p><b>JAIME</b>💙<b>🖤: </b>You literally got excited to text him-</p><p><b>EMORI❤️🖤: </b>ok?  you literally wanted to kiss him first so</p><p><b>BART❤️💛:</b> that's so gay<br/><b>BART❤️💛: </b>but i'm down 🤤</p><p><b>EMORI❤️🖤:</b> someone's going back on do not disturb</p><p><b>BART❤️💛: </b>NO BABE PLEASE<br/><b>BART❤️💛: </b>YOU FORGOT TO TAKE ME OFF LAST TIME<br/><b>BART❤️💛: </b>BABE<br/><b>BART❤️💛: </b>JAIME</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. In the Name of Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>WHEN SOMEONE STARTED TO SHAKE EMORI AWAKE SHE FLAILED AGAINST THEM, ROLLING OUT OF BED WITH THE SHEETS STILL AROUND HER AS SHE GRABBED FROM SOMETHING UNDER HER NIGHTSTAND.</b>
</p><p>"<em>Woah!</em> It's me, it's Vic!"</p><p>She let out a breath, throwing the sheets off herself angrily. "Dammit, Vic, what have I told you?"</p><p>"Not to wake you up really aggressively," he recited. "I know, but it's--what's under your nightstand?"</p><p>She blinked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "What?"</p><p>"If I look under there is there gonna be the gun that Artemis told you not to keep in the living room?"</p><p>"Don't be a snitch," she said. "It's just for safety. Now what's going on?"</p><p>She grabbed her phone, hoping that Jaime wasn't still on Facetime since they had fallen asleep together. Thankfully he wasn't, but that also meant her phone was dead. Shit.</p><p>"Of course, that's why Brion couldn't get you, he said he tried calling you but--"</p><p>"What's wrong with Brion?" she asked, a stab of fear going through her chest. "Is he okay? Did Jace--"</p><p>"He's fine," Vic assured her. "But his uncle--Bedlam's out. He broke out of prison and staged a coup. Since Gregor was out of the country visiting his siblings . . . he's king."</p><p>Her stomach sank. "Bedlam--Bedlam's the king of Markovia? He has the throne?"</p><p>"There's no one there to stop him, some of his old friends are backing him, and so is the guy from Vlatava. He's--he's king."</p><p>"Holy shit." Everything they had accomplished had caved in that very moment. "And he's working with Count Vertigo?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"<em>Shit</em>. Of course the Light can't give us one damn month of peace."</p><p>"We don't know it was them--"</p><p>"It's always them." She grabbed her phone in a tight grip. "What are we doing?"</p><p>"Some of the Outsiders are here, a few from the League, the Team, and Batman brought his people. They're--they're working on a plan right now."</p><p>"And no one woke me up when it happened?"</p><p>"Um, the Bats said I should let you sleep, and they're scarier than you are--"</p><p>She glared at him harshly enough that he stiffened. "Next time<em> wake me up</em>."</p><p>Emori grabbed a shirt that was lying on the edge of her bed and hurriedly pulled it over her head as she made her way out of her room. She was in Beast Boy themed pajama shorts and fluffy pink socks that went up mid-calf, but she couldn't give a shit if she was wearing that down to meet all of those people. It didn't matter anymore.</p><p>Traci was the first one to notice her as she came down the stairs, then the others. Traci gave her a cup of hot chocolate and Emori smiled gratefully at her. Everyone else was drinking coffee--even <em>Forager</em>--except for the two of them, the only people in the room who didn't like it, which Traci had seemed to remember.</p><p>"The League can't go," Batman said grimly. "None of us can, if we do we'll be labeled criminals."</p><p>"He's right," Artemis agreed. "No one from the League can go. And everything we do will be <em>covert</em>. We need to try and make sure it's done without anything going wrong. This is--this is overthrowing a king, no matter how he got the throne."</p><p>Brion's fist clenched. "He needs to leave the throne. It isn't his."</p><p>"I know, Brion, but we have to be smart about this," Artemis said. "This is <em>dangerous</em>. From what we know, part of the army is with him. What if they attack us? We have to be <em>smart</em>. This is--this is territory we haven't been in for a while."</p><p>Emori swallowed down a too-hot gulp of her drink. "Count Vertigo's there. Has anyone let Perdita know? Because if Bedlam's in control of Markovia, then it's easy to take over--"</p><p>Gar's eyes widened in horror. "<em>Oh my god,</em> how could I forget that? I have to--I gotta go--"</p><p>He hurried away, changing into a falcon so he could fly straight up to his room to save time, the door slamming behind him. </p><p>"So then Vlatava is handled," Batman announced. "Per--Queen Perdita will be ready if an attack comes. Thank you, Emori."</p><p>They both knew he should have said Target. Not everyone in the room knew that Batman was Bruce. The fact that he <em>didn't care</em> made her heart clench.</p><p>"We need to combine the Team and the Outsiders for this," Miss Martian said. "The Outsiders won't be enough to split into several squads."</p><p>Tara nodded in agreement. "Yes, we need the Outsiders."</p><p>"How soon can we call in everyone?" Green Arrow asked.</p><p>"Almost everyone is here," Miss Martian said. "I can get Reyna here in less than ten minutes, we didn't want to wake her and worry her if we didn't have a solid plan."</p><p>"And the Outsiders?"</p><p>"No one's been able to reach Blue Beetle, and Dorado and Kid Flash will be here within the hour," Batman announced. "Target, have you heard from Blue Beetle?"</p><p>"I was talking to him last night, he's fine," she said. "But his phone's dead, probably. Call his mother, she's working a late shift at the hospital, she'll be the first to answer."</p><p>"Thank you." Batman nodded toward Green Arrow to make the call. "We need to strategize, <em>don't </em>make a move without us."</p><p>Only the adults left--save for Brion and Tara--and Emori antsily scratched at the back of her neck, drinking her hot chocolate so fast that it burned her throat. The pain brought her back down to earth.</p><p>"This fucking<em> sucks,</em>" Cassie said, making all of their eyes widen slightly. Cassie did curse, but nothing above 'damn.' Her mother was a strict woman and found cursing un lady-like, so Cassie <em>actually</em> cursing was impossible.</p><p>"It does fucking suck," Violet agreed. The rare occurrence of Violet swearing barely brought a smile to Emori's face. "Brion and Tara do not deserve this."</p><p>"I can't believe his uncle would do that," Cassie huffed, arms crossed. "I knew he was an awful person but my <em>gods</em>."</p><p>"He ran a child-trafficking ring, the legality of the throne is on the bottom of his list," Emori said over her cup. "I just thought it'd be a<em> little easier</em> to keep him in prison. I mean, the guy tried to stage a coup on national television before, how hard is it to stop him a second time?"</p><p>Steph shrugged. "He was in maximum security, no one could have guessed he'd get a boomtube escape from Vertigo."</p><p>"People in this age are so stupid about prison systems. Like, how hard is it to keep people at bay? How the hell do they even break out?" She took a deep breath as everyone stared at her. "Sorry, I do realize that it's 'morally wrong' to have prisons like they did in my day. But I <em>also</em> think Bedlam's the biggest piece of shit there is, he trafficked children for a living and sold them to the highest bidder."</p><p>"You say it like it's . . . like it's <em>casual</em>," Vic said, face scrunched.</p><p>Emori swallowed another scalding gulp of hot chocolate. "It's casual for me."</p><p>Steph winced. "She didn't mean for that to be rude, Victor. She just . . . doesn't deal well with stressful situations."</p><p>"Shut up, Steph," she sniped.</p><p>Steph's face immediately formed into a frown, her gaze going to the ground. Cass stiffined, clearly pissed off at what Emori had said, but she didn't say anything. Tim wasn't there, thankfully, he would have said something and in turn set off Cassie, his recently ex-girlfriend.</p><p>"Can you guys stop fighting?" Cassie sighed, flicking through her text messages with someone. "If we have to go on this mission together, there's no time for arguing."</p><p>"I wouldn't do that," Emori said sourly.  "This's too important."</p><p>Cass made a 'hmph' sound and Emori turned to her, fast as a bullet, her hands clenching around the mug. "<em>What?</em>"</p><p>She didn't say a word, but it was clear what she was thinking.</p><p>Emori clenched one hand into a fist and sat her mug down on the table. "I'm going to go wait for Bart and Ed, let me know if anything changes."</p><p>She headed up to the roof--where they were definitely not going to arrive from--and slammed the door shut behind herself. Why did everything always go so wrong? She just wanted time to get herself together before something went terribly wrong. She couldn't handle another bombshell.</p><p>An image of her throwing herself gracefully off the building flashed through her mind when she saw Barbara at the landing pad. <em>Great</em>. She turned around to go back into the building.</p><p>"I already saw you, Emori."</p><p>Emori's breath hitched as she came to a stop. "Good for you."</p><p>"Can we talk? I want to talk."</p><p>She wanted to say so many things, but she didn't. She only unclenched her fist and made her way over to the woman. She sat down beside her wheelchair, wrists resting on her knees.</p><p>"We've missed you," Barbara said. "Dick misses you. <em>Bruce</em> misses you. Alfred's even made your favorite <em>twice</em> like it'd make everything better."</p><p>Her jaw clenched. "I've missed you guys too."</p><p>"Then why don't you come <em>back? </em>Or at least talk to us?"</p><p>"Because--because I don't want to."</p><p>"Emori, don't lie," she said. "That was a bad one, even for you."</p><p>"Whatever, it doesn't matter."</p><p>"It <em>does</em>. You don't just give up on family. We might not all be biologically related, but who cares? It doesn't matter, we all still love each other."</p><p>"But that's the<em> thing</em>," Emori said, her breath coming out ragged. "This--this was hard. You guys lied to me, <em>manipulated</em> me, and I guess it made me realize that's just how this family works. And my family wasn't perfect before, but . . . we didn't manipulate each other. That was our one rule. We wouldn't be like our enemies."</p><p>"You wanna know something? He went to therapy. He's been going since a week after you left."</p><p>Emori's eyes widened and she looked to Barbara, scanning for any sight of a lie. "Seriously? Bruce did that?"</p><p>"He's emotionally stunted," Barbara stated. "I love him, but he is. He can't say what he means, and if he does, it all comes out wrong. But I've known him long enough to know when he cares about someone. And he <em>really</em> cares about you. This--this made him realize that the way he does things doesn't work anymore. Because it isn't just him. Other people get hurt now because of what he does."</p><p>Emori's chest twisted. "I don't . . ."</p><p>"He's trying," she said. "And you don't have to forgive him, but just try to not shut him out? Shut all of us out? What we did--I think we've all realized it wasn't the right thing to do. We've been trying to justify everything we do by saying it's in the name of the greater good, but what happens to that good if you get to it by breaking everything you stand for?"</p><p>Barbara sighed. "I guess I'm just trying to say that I'm <em>sorry</em>. You'll have to hear it from them, but I know everyone else is. It isn't the same without you. I know Bruce complains that 'you shouldn't be in the Cave, it's dangerous and you have no business being in there' but he misses you there. Every time I'm there I half-expect you to come down the stairs, your sock almost all the way off like the worst hazard that's ever existed. I just--I miss having you there, Emori."</p><p>"Okay." Her eyes were glassy. "If you got to do it all again, would you?"</p><p>Barbara blinked in surprise before settling down. "I wouldn't do it the way I did. Manipulating you--manipulating everyone--it wasn't right. What we did wasn't right."</p><p>Emori nodded as she got to her feet. "Then we're good."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*    *    *</em>
</p><p> </p><p><b><em>LIKE ALWAYS, THE</em></b> plan was set in motion faster than Emori could think. Gamma Squad was going to prevent the execution of those loyal to Gregor, which she <em>thought</em> she would be a part of. She hoped, at least. Because Bart and Jaime were on it. It wasn't that she wanted to be on the squad with them just because, it felt like she<em> had</em> to. To make sure they were safe.</p><p>But she was with Alpha Squad. Vic, Gar, Tara, and Brion. Initially, she was supposed to go with Beta, who were going to boomtube to Markovia, but Brion had asked her to go with them. And, fuck, how could she say no? Brion was upset, he needed people there with him. She'd do it no matter what.</p><p>They were going straight to Bedlam. They had ridden in the Bioship with Gamma Squad over the Vlatvan border and dropped out half a mile from the castle in the city. The river separated them from the castle but Tara had it covered.</p><p>The wind was near-freezing against her face, making her nose begin to run as she wiped at it. For once her hair was tied back, a tight bun at the back of her skull secured so tightly it couldn't be grabbed from a distance.</p><p>When the small landmass they were on came to a stop Emori hopped off, watching as it sunk down into the river. </p><p>"What's the fastest route in?" Vic whispered as they hurried up the hill, hidden in the shadow of the trees. "I can hack the system to let us in one of the doors, but you need to tell me which one."</p><p>"The royal entrance," Brion said, his voice tight from exertion. "We used it when we were children to get into the courtyard. No one will be guarding it."</p><p>Emori was invisible, but since the others weren't they had to be cautious. She had tried to make all of them invisible along with herself, but it was too difficult with Vic's technological part. Tara and Brion said that she should "save her energy." She still wasn't sure if it was the right call.</p><p>They made their way through a thick bunch of trees and straight into the outer edge of the courtyard. Wordlessly Brion continued forward, Emori, Vic, and Gar following behind, while Tara followed, only half-sure of where she was going.</p><p>Brion wasn't keen on stealth. He marched through the courtyard like it was his until he got to a small door behind a rose bush. "This is it," he said. "Open it."</p><p>Vic's eyes glowed a brighter red as he concentrated. "Try it, it should be open."</p><p>With a bit of a push from Brion's shoulder, the door creaked open.</p><p>Emori couldn't help but stare in awe at the palace. It was <em>incredible</em>. It made the Manor look like a dollhouse.</p><p>The fascination quickly shattered when they came up in the hallway behind where Beta Squad entered. Bedlam was less than ten yards from them.</p><p>Brion's jaw tightened with anger. "Hello, Uncle."</p><p>"So, a meta-invasion of my native land," Bedlam said. "An opportunity to defend the Realm and <em>cleanse</em> the bloodline of these weak orphans."</p><p>"We're orphans because of <em>you!</em>" Tara yelled, furious as she dragged her uncle's stone form toward them.</p><p>"I feel the tug of your power, child. A feeble thing."</p><p>Bedlam's stone hand rocked Tara to the side with one clean slap. Brion cried out, tacking his uncle straight through one of the windows and out into the courtyard.</p><p>"Tara!" Emori yelled, kneeling next to the girl. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"Yes," she gasped, clutching her face. "Help my brother!"</p><p>Emori rushed over to the window, her heart leaping into her throat once she saw Brion barely dodge a punch from his uncle. It was nearly an entire story drop, but she could do it. <em>Hopefully</em>.</p><p>"Target, on my back!"</p><p>Gar shifted into a large green gorilla and she grabbed onto his shoulders, materializing herself to grip onto him. She nearly slipped off when he barrelled out the window and landed, but she managed to hold on long enough to jump off.</p><p>She hissed out a curse under her breath as she knocked into a stone bench, scraping the palm of her hands in the process. Vic fired a beam of red energy at Bedlam while Gar attacked him, punch after punch. <em>It didn't even phase him</em>.</p><p>Emori watched in horror as Bedlam grabbed his fist, twisted, and brought his knee up with a sickening <em>crack</em>.</p><p>"<em>GAR!</em>" She burst forward, shaking herself out of Vic's grip as she charged at the stone man. "You bastard!"</p><p>"Cyborg, help them!" Brion yelled.</p><p>Emori pulled Gar away and threw him to the side, the boy now shifted back into his regular form. Bedlam swiped at her, which she managed to avoid, but the second time he hit her square in the face, a<em> pop</em> echoing in her head as she stumbled back.</p><p>"You weak, pathetic child," Bedlam said, stalking forward. "I do not see what they all saw in you. Your powers are not what they said of you."</p><p>"I don't give a shit <em>what</em> they think of me," she snarled, blood dripping down from her nose to her chin. "Hit me again, asshole!"</p><p>"As you wish."</p><p>Right as he took a step forward the ground beneath him broke, Tara's arms in the air as she flipped it over, her uncle slipping off and back onto the ground. The ground above fell down onto him, holding him firmly in place.</p><p>Emori's face burned with pain, her nose questionably broken and her cheek beginning to swell, but she still clutched it anyway. She spit the blood out of her mouth from where she bit her tongue and made her way over to Gar and Vic.</p><p>"Is your arm okay?" she asked. "Did he tear it open?"</p><p>Gar's eyes widened. "<em>What?</em>"</p><p>"It's just broken," Vic said. "It's fine."</p><p>"Stop, I--I surrender."</p><p>Emori got to her feet, her stomach sinking as she realized what was happening. Brion was standing in front of his uncle, hand encased in molten lava . . . he was ready to kill him.</p><p>"Surrender is too easy."</p><p>"Brion, no!" He hesitated when she called out for him. "Don't do this. Once you do this, you won't be the same. Once you kill someone--you change. There's no going back to who you were. <em>Don't</em> do this. You'll never forgive yourself."</p><p>Gar stumbled beside her, clutching his arm. "She's right," he said. "Once you do this, things change. <em>Everything </em>changes. The Outsiders change, we change."</p><p>The sound of the ground breaking made Emori turn around. Tara was bringing a piece of it through the air, hovering it over her and Gar. "Terra, no! Don't kill . . ."</p><p>Emori didn't finish her sentence. Because Tara wasn't going to kill her uncle, she was going to kill her and Gar. </p><p>She braced herself, gripping Gar's hand, praying that she would be able to turn them both transparent in time, and then--</p><p>"Tara, you don't have to do what Deathstroke says."</p><p>
  <em>Deathstroke?</em>
</p><p>Tara faltered. "How long have you known?"</p><p>Artemis took off her mask. "Since before we found you. Batman had surveillance on Slade, and could tell from his micro-expressions that he was <em>lying </em>when he said you'd washed out of the League of Shadows."</p><p>Tara was horrified. "You knew I was still a Shadow? Why didn't you--"</p><p>"Busting you upfront would've taken the decision out of your hands," Artemis said, slowly stepping closer to the girl. "Which is <em>exactly</em> what the bad guys have done to you from the moment you were abducted.</p><p>Emori couldn't hear what Tara was saying, she was whispering something, but all she knew was that the piece of earth was still above them. All she knew that Gar was just as terrified as her, that his grip was just as tight as hers.</p><p>"We wanted to show you there is a better way," Artemis said, standing next to the girl. "You can be forgiven, Tara. The choice is yours."</p><p>The ground was thrown to the side, out from over their heads, and with tears in her eyes Tara pulled out a comm from her ear and threw it as far as she could. Emori watched with relief as Tara hugged Artemis tightly.</p><p>It was over. <em>Finally</em>.</p><p>Brion stepped away from his uncle, past Emori and Gar and closer to his sister. "Tara . . . <em>how could you?</em>"</p><p>Brion looked around, frantic, stricken. "Why didn't anyone tell me this?!"</p><p>"Here he is!" a man yelled, stepping up the steps into the edge of the courtyard. "Here's our prince!"</p><p>Brion turned. "Ambassador Baazovi?"</p><p>The man walked forward and Emori could recognize him. He was the UN Ambassador. "Prince Brion! Is that . . . the Princess?" The man looked between them. "And who are these others?"</p><p>Bedlam grunted and broke free of the magma he was encased in, pieces of it flying free. Emori let out a cry as one hit her across the forehead, blood immediately beginning to slip down her face and into her eye. She held her face, wincing in pain as she covered the gash.</p><p>Brion slammed his foot down on the ground, magma streaming forward to under Bedlam's feet, sliding the man backward toward his nephew as the magma hardened around him.</p><p>"It is over, Baron."</p><p>"Brion--!"</p><p>Emori gasped, stumbling back as magma shot toward her. Brion didn't even turn to look back at her. <em>He could have burned her</em>.</p><p>"It will never be over, princeling," Bedlam hissed. "Not as long as I draw breath."</p><p>"Uncle, I believe you."</p><p>Emori jolted forward but Artemis quickly grabbed her, the woman's strong arms wrapped around her as Emori thrashed in her grip. She was too horrified to think anything strategic, all she could do was struggle against her as she watched Brion hold a molten hand to his uncle's mouth as his uncle's head shook, magma seeping into his throat.</p><p>She couldn't think anything, not as a crowd on the steps began to shout Brion's name, not as Artemis finally let her go. All she could think was <em>he's dead, Brion killed him, Brion killed him</em>.</p><p>Brion had killed him and he had<em> liked</em> it. Even as they tried to stop him he still did it. He didn't care if he'd never be the same, he didn't think about the consequences.</p><p>Tears pooled in her eyes until they finally fell down her cheeks. Vic wrapped an arm around her but she barely felt it. All she could think was that she <em>failed</em> him. She failed Brion. She failed him.</p><p>Brion turned back to them, a smile on his face, but it quickly disappeared when he saw everyone.</p><p>"I had to do it," he said, stepping toward them as the crowd still cheered for him in the background. "Don't you see?"</p><p>"You crossed a line we don't cross," Superboy said. When did he get there? When did Nightwing and Forager get there?</p><p>Nightwing's eyes narrowed. "You murdered that man."</p><p>"I executed a <em>criminal,</em> while you hypocrites allowed a murderer to walk free among us!"</p><p>Artemis' head jerked back in shock. "She was a vulnerable child, brainwashed, Stockholm-Syndromed."</p><p>"No," Tara said, ashamed. "There was no control chip on my neck when I killed Marlo. I had a choice. I made the wrong one."</p><p>Tara's shoulders were hunched as she made her way over to her brother. He smiled, reaching out for her. "We both must turn ourselves in."</p><p>Brion's face fell into anger as he stepped back. "To whom? Do you not hear the crowd? They know what I did was just. And so should you!" His face softened. "Tara, I dedicated my life to rescuing you, but you lied to me and nearly betrayed us all. <em>You</em> are an assassin! <em>I</em> am a hero!"</p><p>No, he was a murderer.</p><p>"Heroes don't do what you did," Superboy said.</p><p>"The people would disagree," Ambassador Baazovi said, stepping forward to stand behind Brion. "Would you condemn a soldier in war? No, you'd call him <em>Varonis</em>, a hero. And I'd call this hero <em>Karalis</em>. A king."</p><p>Emori jerked back. <em>King?</em></p><p>"King?" Tara echoed. "But Gregor . . ."</p><p>"Kings make hard decisions for the sake of their people," Ambassador Baazovi said, hand on Brion's shoulder. "You know I supported Gregor, but Gregor isn't strong enough for these times. Only <em>you </em>have the strength to rule Markovia. With the full support of the military."</p><p>Ambassador Baazovi turned back to the crowd--no, the <em>mob</em>. "Prince Brion brought down the tyrant, DeLamb, who staged a coup after escaping prison, after <em>murdering </em>our King and Queen!"</p><p>Brion walked over to address the crowd and Emori looked to Gar. "This--this is insane."</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"My brother is a man of great patience," Brion yelled at the crowd. "But that is not what this country needs."</p><p>"Brion," Tara said, "you cannot betray Gregor."</p><p>"Unlike <em>you, </em>I betray no one. Gregor's sixteen minutes is no justification for his rule. I've always known the crown should be mine. Markovia needs a king who <em>is</em> a hero. Sister . . . I will forgive you for your crimes, if you support my rule."</p><p>He held out his hand trusting that she'd take it.</p><p>She didn't. </p><p>"No, brother. That I cannot do."</p><p>He straightened himself, taking back his hand. "Fine. Halo, join me." She jerked back into Artemis. "Rule beside me as my queen." She brought a shaking hand to her mouth as tears slipped down her cheeks. "Violet, <em>please</em>. I need you now."</p><p>He glanced at Emori but she only shook her head, blood spilling down over her eyebrow. "You're no hero, Brion. Not anymore."</p><p>His eyes narrowed with anger. "So be it. Nightwing, take all your heroes <em>out</em> of my country. At once!"</p><p>"Geo-Force--"</p><p>"<em>Now.</em>"</p><p>No one was eager to leave but they had no choice. None of them trusted that Brion wouldn't turn on them, too.</p><p>Nightwing wrapped an arm around Emori as he led them out of the courtyard. "Come on, let's get that fixed up."</p><p>"But--"</p><p>"There's nothing we can do now," he said. "Brion's king, we have to accept it."</p><p>Emori had accepted it, she had accepted it immediately. What she couldn't accept was that Brion was a murderer and that he did it in the name of "family."</p><p>She couldn't accept that he was exactly like who she used to be.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>make sure to read the next chapter, aka the end credit scene, and the note at the end!!!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. End Credit Scene</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>read the end note!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been eleven days since Markovia and things had . . . changed. Vlatava had cut ties with the country, the Outsiders had three new additions, Asami had surprisingly joined the Team, and Reyna was soon to be the fourth addition to the Outsiders. </p><p>Emori twisted the ring that was on her finger, back and forth, back and forth. It was a simple silver ring with two cheap blue and red stones on it. <em>A promise ring</em>. A "we're not going to die on you" ring. A promise they couldn't keep, but a promise that Emori undoubtedly returned after she gave each of them their own ring with different colored stones.</p><p>Things were complicated but it was <em>okay</em>.</p><p>She had started to talk to the Bats again, working her way back in. She even started going to therapy, chipping away at the past she had started to block out. Things were <em>good</em>.</p><p>Except it had been eleven days since Markovia and Brion was never coming back. The truth was staring her in the face and it <em>hurt</em>. Worse than her broken nose or the staples on her forehead.</p><p>But things would be okay. Every time someone left Emori always soldiered on. She'd do it again.</p><p>"Can you tell Reyna it's time to eat?" M'gann said as she set a plate of potatoes down on the table. "She's out on the patio."</p><p>Emori nodded and went out of the glass doors to the patio. It overlooked the city of Hollywood, bright, dazzling lights nearly as far as the eye could see. Reyna was leaning against the railing, arms crossed over it as she stared down at the street.</p><p>"I don't think I will ever get used to this," Reyna said once Emori leaned against the railing. "It isn't like we didn't have big cities in the Philippines. We did. But not . . . not like this. All you can smell is the gas from the cars, it never ends." She shrugged. "And the heroes walking around. We don't have that."</p><p>Emori knew what that felt like. "Did you talk to your parents? You know, since you're going public soon?"</p><p>"Yes. They--they were happy I was alive, but . . . I don't know the word in English. They're . . . <em>torn</em>. They don't like what I am doing. They are very traditional, and we still have our issues. They want me to come home, to not run away again for a silly dream like college or heroics."</p><p>"And you told them no?"</p><p>"I did. My father was angry, I thought he would--I thought he would hit me, but he didn't. I've never seen him that angry. But . . . my mother told me whenever I came back she would be waiting. I believe her."</p><p>"That's good," Emori said. "I'm happy for you, Reyna."</p><p>"Thank you." She smiled and turned to her, brown eyes glowing from the street lights. "Megan said I had to choose a hero name, that I couldn't use my own."</p><p>"You chose one?"</p><p>"It is something Count Vertigo said to me when my powers surfaced. <em>Smokescreen</em>. It is cool, yes?"</p><p>Emori couldn't breathe.</p><p>"No?"</p><p>"No, it--it's cool. I like it." She forced air back into her lungs. "Dinner's done."</p><p>Reyna perked up at the mention of food but Emori couldn't think that far. All she could think was that she had to find Bart.</p><p><em>She had to tell him she had found her mother</em>.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>rupture's finally finished! wow. but since it is, it'll be a while until the second book, since season four has to come out completely first. however, i do have oneshots published on wattpad (@/euphoricsenses), which i can publish here in a series linked to this if y'all want?</p><p> let me know if you'd be interested and what y'all thought of this book!! i'd love to know what you guys think of emori or anything else</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is crossposted from wattpad! in case my account gets deleted, i'm posting all of my works here :) my username is euphoricsenses if you wanna read it on there!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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